Police Beat
Citizen involvement leads to arrest of burglary suspect 

GREENVILLE - On Aug. 16 police responded to the area of Martin and Montgomery for a burglary in progress. A person in a van had stolen items from a garage at 409 Anderson Ave. The victim, Robert Smith, had observed the van driven by Michael Price at the location and followed him. The police located and stopped Price’s van. Smith showed up and I.D.’d the vehicle. Smith told police that while he was following the van steel table legs that had been in his garage fell out of the rear of the van onto the road. Smith later indicated about 50 ft. of 110 white electric cable and 10 ft. of orange cable had been cut and removed, along with an electric outlet box. Cable was found in the van that appeared to be the same type of cable that had been cut and removed from the garage. Price was arrested and incarcerated at the Darke County Jail. Smith had observed a second unknown person as well. While investigating the event, a citizen called and named an individual who may have been with Price. 

On Aug. 20 police responded to the Greenville City Auditor’s Office regarding a forgery complaint. Auditor Roxanne Willman advised since July 29 six checks have been forged and cashed in Atlanta, GA. Willman said it looked like someone got a check from the Auditor’s Office, made new ones and cashed them. They were for $1,000 each and had Willman’s signature on them. Since the forgery did not occur within the city, this has been classified as theft. 

On Aug. 17 police were dispatched to Walmart regarding someone breaking into cash registers in the Lawn and Garden and Tire and Lube departments when those departments were closed for the evening. A video shows the suspect pulling out what appears to be a mini crowbar and prying open the cash register with it. The suspect is currently unknown. 

On Aug. 19, Greenville police responded to 117 Armstrong St. regarding a stolen bicycle. It is blue, 26 inch Schwinn mountain bike with a large puffy seat. It was not locked. A witness said a white male with gray hair was seen on a bike matching the description, but the individual could not be found. No other suspects. 

On Aug. 19 police responded to a burglary call from Deedee Cole at 614 Gray Ave. Her shed was broken into and two items – a Murray push mower and a Murray weed eater – had been taken. The padlock had been cut to gain access. No suspects. 

On Aug. 10 police received a call regarding a male subject looking in cars in the area of Ash and E. Main Streets. The subject, Kris Cannizzaro, was observed walking behind the Masonic Temple, 102 Memorial Dr. He had two backpacks on his back, advising that one was his and one was given to him by an unknown female. Police were given permission to look in the backpack and saw papers for the victim, Robert Garza. Cannizzaro said he did not know Garza. The victim was located and stated the last time he saw his backpack was in his vehicle on Aug. 9. Cannizzaro was cited for Receiving Stolen Property and the backpack returned to Garza.

STOLEN PROPERTY 

On Aug. 21 Greenville Police joined a Darke County Deputy Sheriff at 409 E. Third St. regarding found property. There was a Snapper snowblower hidden behind exterior steps and weeds of 417. E. Third St., which is vacant. A witness said Joshua Bright took the snowblower; she saw him hide it about a week earlier. Later Bright told the witness he took it from a garage down the street. The snowblower was taken as property and checked through dispatch. It hadn’t been reported stolen, so the snowblower was transported to the Hart Ave. garage. Bright was arrested and is incarcerated in the Darke County Jail. 

VANDALISM

On Aug. 20 police responded to a vandalism call at 201 E. Third St. Christopher Rhoades reported several BB gun holes were shot through the front window. BB’s were located inside the business. No suspects at this time. 

On Aug. 21 police responded to a vandalism call from Leslie Miracle at 118 Sweitzer St. A paving block had been thrown at her vehicle causing damage to the windshield and hood. The front license plate had been stolen. No suspects at this time. 

On Aug. 13 police responded to a vandalism call to the grass field north of Harmon Field. A goal post had been knocked over. One side of the post had been removed from the ground; the other side had been separated and damaged. A bolt holding the horizontal pole and one vertical pole had been shredded and disconnected. Cory Zumbrun was contacted and he verified the goal post belonged to him and the youth area football league. There are no suspects at this time. 

On Aug. 17 police responded to a vandalism call at 716 Sweitzer. The victim, Brenda Ballengee, had gone to the fair. When she returned at 10:15 p.m. she found the driver’s side window smashed out. No suspects at this time. 

On Aug. 14 police responded to a vandalism call at 214 N. Broadway from Jalen Gregorace. An item had been thrown at a vehicle he had been using and the rear window was shattered. No suspects at this time. 

DOMESTIC 

On Aug. 18 police were dispatched to 500 E. Park Dr. regarding a domestic dispute. While unloading some of his belongings the suspect Jarrid Smith and the victim had begun arguing. Smith grabbed the victim by the arms and squeezed. While attempting to free herself, the victim was elbowed in the stomach. She admitted hitting Smith in the back after that. Smith was arrested for domestic violence and transported to the Darke County Jail. 

CIVIL PROTECTION ORDER 

On Aug. 19 police were dispatched to 1324 Sweitzer St., Lot C15, for a CPO violation. Richard Syrell had received a CPO and several minutes later had called the victim. Syrell wanted to gather his belongings. Syrell admitted receiving the CPO. He was arrested and taken to the Darke County Jail where he was given a misdemeanor citation for violation of the CPO. He was advised not to contact the victim and to contact the police when he wanted to gather his property. 

DRUGS 

On Aug. 14 police were dispatched to Sweitzer and South St. regarding a suspicious female. The officer found a female matching the description with a male on the bicycle. The male had a warrant on him from Indiana and the officer advised the pickup radius was good. The defendant was detained and, upon questioning, admitted having a small amount of marijuana and some vicodin on him. A search produced vegetation which the defendant admitted was marijuana, a bottle of pills and a pipe. It was later determined the warrant pickup radius was not good, so the defendant was cited for drug abuse and drug paraphernalia and released. 

Published courtesy of The Early Bird