Pennsylvania State Police say a Worcester man cut off his court-ordered GPS ankle monitor, hit the road for roughly 374 miles and wound up robbing a small-town Pennian Bank branch on Monday. According to troopers, the suspect walked into the Red Hill Road branch, lifted his shirt to reveal what looked like a handgun and left with an undisclosed amount of cash. He was found the next day near a makeshift campsite along the Juniata River and taken into custody.
Pennsylvania State Police were dispatched around 12:45 p.m. Investigators say the man first stopped at the bank around 12:06 p.m., left for a nearby Tractor Supply, then came back and carried out the robbery, as reported by Daily Voice. Security footage from inside the Pennian Bank helped identify both the suspect and the getaway car, which troopers say was a black Honda Civic reported stolen out of Worcester. Authorities told the outlet the man had removed his ankle monitor two days before the holdup.
Worcester Police records identify the suspect as 38-year-old Christopher Grannis, who was previously arrested in December 2024 in a separate unarmed bank robbery case, according to a Worcester Police press release. A local outlet covered that earlier case and the department’s response. The Pennian Bank branch sits on Red Hill Road in Newport, and Google Maps shows the drive from Worcester to the branch is roughly 374 miles by the fastest route.
Troopers later tracked down the stolen Honda Civic at a makeshift campsite near the Juniata River in Fermanagh Township and found Grannis nearby. Investigators say they recovered an air pistol and an air rifle at the site, per Daily Voice. Pennsylvania State Police charged Grannis with robbery, theft and terroristic threats and committed him to Perry County Prison, where his bail was set at $500,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 29 in Perry County.
GPS Monitors And Tampering
The case highlights how cutting off a court-ordered GPS device can quickly turn an already serious situation into a multi-state manhunt. In Massachusetts, lawmakers have pushed to make tampering with GPS monitors a felony after a series of high-profile incidents, according to Boston25. Other departments have reported additional arrests that began with someone removing an ankle monitor, as reported by ABC6. Courts and prosecutors often respond by adding charges or seeking higher bail when an offender tampers with electronic monitoring.
What Comes Next
Grannis remains in Perry County Prison ahead of his April 29 preliminary hearing. State police are continuing their investigation, and prosecutors will decide whether to pursue any additional charges as the case moves through the Perry County court system.
