The brother and sister charged with three robberies in Ferguson Township were additionally charged yesterday in connection with the string of robberies that affected Centre, Huntingdon, Blair and Clinton counties.
Of the two attempted robberies and 10 robberies to strike the area in recent weeks, George S. Patton now faces charges for all but one robbery after being charged with eight more yesterday. His sister, Caroll D. Patton, faces additional charges in connection with four of the robberies and the two attempted robberies.
George Patton, 32, of 147 Azalea Drive, was charged yesterday with robbing the following Centre County businesses: the Choice convenience store, 2110 N. Atherton St., on July 22; Papa John's Pizza, 2110 N. Atherton St., on July 25; and Laubscher's Grocery and Sporting Goods, 290 Walnut St., on Aug. 1, according to a press release issued by Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira.
He is also charged with robbing Uni-Mart, 3700 Warriors Mark Path, on July 29, and attempting to rob Kish Bank, 5473 McAlevy's Fort Road, on Aug. 3, both in Huntingdon County, Madeira said.
Furthermore, George Patton faces charges in connection with one Blair County business robbery at the Snappy's located at the intersection of SRs 390 and 220, on July 30, and two more in Clinton County at the Choice convenience store, 10 S. Hanna St., on Aug. 1, and Raible's Pharmacy, 260 Main St., on Aug. 4, Madeira said.
Caroll D. Patton, 36, also of 147 Azalea Drive, was charged with robbing Laubscher's Grocery and Sporting Goods, a Choice convenience store in Clinton County and Raible's Pharmacy with her brother, Madeira said.
He said she is also charged with criminal conspiracy in the robbery of the Uni-Mart in Warriors Mark and a Blair County Snappy's, along with criminal conspiracy robbery in the attempted robbery of Kish Bank -- each with her brother.
"We've alleged there are a great number of similarities. We knew we were going to be filing charges," Madeira said, adding that they first wanted to figure out what charges they were going to file.
Madeira said they tied Caroll Patton into many of the charges based on the allegation that she was in the vehicle with George Patton.
Both George and Caroll Patton were charged on Aug. 9 with three robberies in Ferguson Township, he said. The three businesses the Pattons were originally charged with robbing are: Domino's Pizza, 1100 N. Atherton St., on July 27; the Uni-Mart Center, 3180 W. College Ave., on July 29; and Snappy's Convenience Store, 1209 N. Atherton St., on Aug. 8, Madeira said.
George Patton was charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property in connection with the Ferguson Township robberies. Caroll Patton was charged with robbery and criminal conspiracy related to the same robberies.
The preliminary hearings for the original charges will be held at 8:30 a.m. today at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte.
Preliminary hearings for charges stemming from incidents in Centre, Huntingdon, Blair and Clinton counties are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 22.
Both George and Caroll Patton are being held in the Centre County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail. The original bail for George Patton was set at $175,000, and his sister's at $50,000; however, it was unknown as of press time if it changed.
The only robbery in the string of 10 armed robberies in the Centre Region that neither has been charged with occurred at Mini Mart, 11622 Bank St., in Huntingdon County, on July 28.
The robber in the July 28 armed robbery was described to be between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing about 200 to 250 pounds and wearing a black ski mask, black gloves, black jeans and a black-and-white flannel shirt, police said.
"Other robberies are still under investigation," Madeira said. "We're still working on it. This is not a closed investigation."
