Erie man charged with theft at SeaWolves' stadium for second time in a week

Tim Hahn, Erie Times-News
Updated ·2 min read

An Erie man charged with breaking into a concession stand at UPMC Park and stealing alcohol and snack food on Tuesday night is now accused of committing a similar crime at the Erie SeaWolves home park four days earlier.

Erie police on Thursday charged 20-year-old Rodolfo N. Patten with felony burglary and four misdemeanor counts, including corruption of minors, accusing him of illegally entering UPMC Park with others and stealing alcohol on May 10.

Patten was charged on Wednesday, along with two juveniles, with committing a similar break-in and burglary at the downtown ballpark on Tuesday night.

Investigators said following Patten's arrest in Tuesday's burglary that they were looking into whether he was possibly involved in the May 10 burglary, in which police said ice cream, Twisted Tea, seltzers and "beer bats" were stolen.

What happened in the burglaries?

According to Erie police, four people were seen on video entering UPMC Park on the evening of May 10 by hopping a fence on the west side of the ballpark. The suspects were then seen walking around the park, checking coolers, before they entered a concession stand, Deputy Chief Rick Lorah said Friday.

Erie police have charged a city man with burglary and other offenses in a May 10 break-in and theft at UPMC Park downtown. The man and two juveniles were previously charged with a burglary and theft at the park on May 14.
Erie police have charged a city man with burglary and other offenses in a May 10 break-in and theft at UPMC Park downtown. The man and two juveniles were previously charged with a burglary and theft at the park on May 14.

A television in the concession stand was broken and ice cream and the alcoholic beverages were taken, Lorah said.

Patten was arraigned Thursday afternoon on charges in the May 10 burglary and had his bond set at $5,000, according to court documents.

Lorah said Friday that other suspects have been identified and more charges are expected in the case. No one else had been charged in the May 10 burglary as of Friday.

Patten has been in the Erie County Prison since Wednesday, when he was arraigned on burglary and other charges in a break-in and theft at UPMC Park on Tuesday night. Police accuse him and two juveniles, ages 14 and 16, of breaking into a concession stand and taking potato chips, candy and alcoholic beverages.

SeaWolves president Greg Coleman said Thursday he was working at the ballpark on Tuesday night when he saw a concession stand window open, went to investigate and encountered some trespassers. Police took Patten into custody from the ballpark and apprehended the two teenagers shortly after officers were summoned to UPMC Park.

The juveniles were placed in the Edmund L. Thomas Adolescent Center, according to Lorah.

Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNhahn

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Police charge Erie man with another UPMC Park burglary