Ephrata man arrested for armed Turkey Hill robberies

EPHRATA, Pa. (WHTM) -- The Ephrata Police Department has arrested and charged a suspect with two armed robberies at local Turkey Hill stores.

According to police, 27-year-old Colby Quinn Mummaw has been charged with two counts of robbery, two counts of possession of instruments of a crime, one count of unlawful restraint, and one count of simple assault.

The first robbery occurred around 10:56 p.m. on June 20. A masked man entered Turkey Hill located at 930 South State Street in Ephrata. He pointed a gun at the female clerk and bound her hands behind her. He then took money from the safe and fled the store.

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Then, on July 21 at around 4:23 a.m., a masked man entered Turkey Hill located at 3585 Rothsville Road in Ephrata. He pointed a gun, which was later determined to be a pellet gun, at the male clerk demanding money. The clerk refused, and that is when Mummaw shot him with a bb or pellet and then fled the scene.

Leads from these two incidents lead Ephrata Police to the 20 block of South Maple Street in Ephrata, which is where Mummaw lives. A search warrant was executed at his home on July 22. As a result of the searches, officers found several items connected to both of the robberies, including backpacks, masks, CO₂ cartridges, a CO₂ pistol, and zip ties.

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Mummaw remains incarcerated at Lancaster County Prison on state violations. He will be arraigned on these new charges in the near future. Investigators are continuing in their search for more evidence at that time.