Rumors always spread fast in small towns, and Newport is no exception. On Monday, April 20, an intriguing post hit Facebook. A robbery, it claimed, at Pennian Bank on Red Hill and Tractor Supply Co. right next door. An accusation so prominent couldn’t stay within the boundaries of Facebook for long. Soon enough, everyone had heard some variation. From the bleachers of that night’s pewee teeball game to the halls of Newport High School, the tale was spun and altered as with any game of telephone. Tractor Supply and Pennian Bank, some claimed, were robbed simultaneously; a thief on foot robbed Pennian bank at gunpoint, said others. Such begs the constant question: What actually happened?
Karen Delay, a cashier at Tractor Supply, was able to put some of the rumors to rest. The store, according to her, was not part of the robbery. Despite its location mere yards away from Pennian Bank, Tractor Supply, it seems, was not a thievery target. “We do have to be vigilant, though,” said Delay. “In case he comes back, because nobody really knows who it was.”
Upon arrival at Pennian Bank, it was clear that the second supposed location was not so lucky. The lobby hours, previously having run until 4:00, were negated by a single sign stating that the lobby is closed. The drive-through is still open for business, but not for answers. Pennian Bank, according to the location’s manager, was not at liberty to talk about the incident at the moment of the interview. Only one official Facebook post from the bank had been made surrounding the incident, presumably. At 1:23 pm, Pennian Bank posted: “Our Newport Office will be closed the remainder of today, April 20, 2026. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
The official information was made available a few days later, after 38-year-old Massachusetts man Christopher Grannis was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police at his makeshift campsite in Fermanagh Township. Grannis had gone into Pennian and used the bank’s restroom. He then stopped at Tractor Supply before returning to Pennian for the robbery. With a handgun in his waistband, Grannis demanded money from the teller. He escaped in a stolen vehicle with $1,830.
Grannis has been charged with felony robbery, terroristic threats, and theft. At the time he was arrested, troopers found a pistol and an air rifle in his possession. He has been connected with other robberies outside of the state, as well as cutting off his ankle monitor prior to the Perry County theft.
“As reported in the media today,” Pennian Bank posted via Facebook on April 23, “we wanted to take time to recognize the incident that occurred at our Newport Office on Monday, April 20. First and foremost, we are thankful that no one was hurt. We want to acknowledge the quick thinking of our staff and the investigation by the PA State Police at Newport, and other law enforcement agencies, that led to the swift apprehension of the suspect in the robbery.”
