More charges in alleged Mon Valley crime spree
MONESSEN – A Speers man who has been in custody on accusations he participated in two armed robberies has been charged in yet another case in an alleged crime spree in the Mon Valley between May and early July.
Monessen police Tuesday charged Christopher Carroll, 23, an inmate in Westmoreland County Jail, with theft and receiving stolen property over accusations he stole a car July 2 from the parking lot at Wyatt Industries, 120 Riverview Drive, and abandoned it outside a Bentleyville grocery store, court records show.
State police recovered the car July 6 from the parking lot at Bentleyville Giant Eagle, 155 Wilson Road, and provided Monessen police with store video surveillance that identified Carroll as the suspect who drove the car to the store, the affidavit indicates.
District Judge Charles Christner on July 25 continued a preliminary hearing for Carroll in a case in which he and a co-defendant, Dean A. Franks, 43, of Donora, were accused of stealing $2,714 and diamonds valued at $5,000 during a June 24 armed robbery at Cash For Gold at 417 Don St. in Rostraver Township, court records indicate. The hearing was rescheduled for 9:30 a.m. Aug. 8.
Carroll is being held on more that $200,000 in bonds in cases alleging he stole guns and $30,000 from his father in May, took part in another armed robbery two months ago in North Charleroi and escaped from his arraignment and stole a car July 1 in Bentleyville and drove it to a Walmart in Rostraver.