July 21, 2001
Police look into recent break-ins in connection with the Gallery robbery
By Ryan Good
Staff Writer
Tiffin Police are now looking into other recent break-ins after the Monday robbery at The Gallery.
A request for a search warrant of the Chevy Astro used in the crime, prepared by Lt. Michelle Craig filed in common pleas court Wednesday, states that other local business were broken into in the same time frame that David Pishok, 47 and Debroah A. Howe, 45, Youngstown, were in the area.
"We're still looking into it. Anything is possible, but we don't know there is a relation," Craig said Friday.
Between July 6 and the present, windows and doors and East of Chicago, both in Tiffin, were broken into. The Gallery also had a previous break-in on June 13, and on July 16 the wires of BP Westgate were cut, the request states.
Pishok was staying at the Days Inn Motel in Fostoria on July 5 and 6 and was given a ticket in Tiffin on the July 6 for running a red light.
As described in the request, Ed Cantor, Pishok's parole officer, told police that Pishok has been commiting crimes since the age of 15.
Cantor also told police that Pishok was part of a crime ring that taught him how to commit the crimes.
Craig said that the ring broke up about four years ago and Monday's robbery probably wasn't part of it.
After the request for the warrant was granted, 55 items taken from the van. They included: towels with a susbtance that could be blood on them, a hand gun, pepper mace, a cell phone, bolt cutters, as well as directions to The Gallery and Dunns Lanes in Fostoria.
Pishok admitted to police that he stole a set of license plates in Fostoria and used them on the van, but discarded them prior to being stopped. When the two were stopped Monday afternoon, the van had dealer plates on it, Craig said.
Pishok also told police that he and Howe went into The Gallery, told the Digbys that they were being robbed and brandished a gun. He then allegedly had them go in the back room and get on the floor and gave the gun to Howe as he went to open the safe, according to reports.
A fight then ensued and the gun was taken away from Howe.
Police are also looking for a possible witness to the crime. As Beverly Digby ran outside to call 911, she told police she remebered seeing a vehicle out of the corner of her eye, Craig added.
Anyone with information on the stolen plates or the vehicle that may have been witness to the crime can contact the Tiffin Police Department at 447-2323.