PROVIDENCE, R.I. � Here�s one way to catch a thief � have an attractive woman tell him he�s �hot.�

PROVIDENCE, R.I. � Here�s one way to catch a suspected thief � have an attractive woman tell him he�s �hot.�

Two Providence detectives appealed to a suspect�s ego in solving last week�s strong-armed robbery of a local pizza guy, said Maj. David Lapatin.

A man had called for a pizza to be delivered to 144 Oakland Ave. on June 16, then sucker-punched the Domino�s deliveryman and stole his money.

The deliveryman still had the phone number for the order, so Detectives Charles Matracia and Robert Dumkuski called the next day. No answer, Lapatin said.

So, the detectives pulled a picture of a beautiful woman off the Internet, named her �Samantha,� and then sent it in a text message to the suspect, Lapatin said.

�Samantha� texted the suspect that they�d met and she thought he was attractive, Lapatin said. The suspect soon texted back � with a photo of himself, which�looked like the robber, Lapatin said.

�Samantha� and the suspect arranged to meet up at Kennedy Plaza, Lapatin said. Instead of a beautiful woman, lonely hearts found only police officers.

Rodney Pierce, 32, of 42 Vernon St., was charged with second-degree robbery. He was arraigned on Thursday at District Court, where he was also held without bail in a breaking and entering charge.