New York Man Arrested After Knifepoint Robbery at Centre County Dollar General Store

Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com

A western New York man accused of brandishing a knife to rob the Dollar General store near Pleasant Gap on Friday night is suspected of multiple similar crimes in two states, according to police.

Brian Baritot, 40, was taken into custody after leading Spring Township, Bellefonte and state police on a vehicle chase, township police wrote in a Facebook post.

Employees of the store at 586 E. College Ave. in Spring Township reported a knifepoint robbery at about 7:15 p.m. on Friday. After getting a description of the suspect and his vehicle, officers located Baritot at about 7:30 p.m. in a church parking lot in Centre Hall, police wrote.

A vehicle pursuit ensued and ended when Baritot crashed on the 200 block of Harrison Road in Pleasant Gap, according to the post.

Police tased Baritot after he did not comply with orders, according to the post. A search of his vehicle found currency throughout and a knife in the center console, police wrote.

After he was taken into custody, police learned Baritot is wanted or a suspect in crimes including a bank robbery in New York and multiple other burglaries and robberies at Dollar Generals in New York and Pennsylvania.

He is charged in Centre County with felony counts of armed robbery, fleeing law enforcement and terroristic threats, misdemeanor counts of possessing an instrument of crime, resisting arrest and accidents involving damage and summary counts of careless driving and reckless driving, according to court records.

A criminal complaint detailing the charges was not immediately available.

Baritot was arraigned on Saturday morning by District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker, who denied bail. He is in custody at the Centre County Correctional Facility.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 4.