Tue Feb 09 2010
By TODD HELBERG
cnedit@crescent-news.com
A juvenile with a prior record has been arrested for allegedly robbing Defiance’s Meijer gas station Thursday morning.
Mark Castillo, 17, 26640 Shindler Road, has been charged by Defiance police with delinquency by means of aggravated robbery. He is scheduled to appear this morning in Defiance County Juvenile Court for a detention hearing. The hearing will determine whether Castillo, who was held overnight at the Northwest Ohio Juvenile Detention, Training and Rehabilitation Center, rural Stryker, will be detained or released with conditions.
Later, authorities will have the option of binding Castillo over to common pleas court to be tried as an adult.
The charge alleges that Castillo robbed the Meijer gas station on North Clinton Street, just north of U.S. 24, at knifepoint early Thursday. He allegedly made off with an undetermined amount of cash on foot.
A senior at Ayersville High School, Castillo was a state qualifier on the wrestling team in March.
Defiance Police Chief Tim Tobias said Castillo has a prior juvenile conviction and had been on probation in the past. However, he said Castillo was not a probationer when the alleged robbery occurred.
Personnel from the Defiance County Juvenile Probation Department assisted with the investigation while county sheriff’s deputies helped arrest Castillo at his home on Shindler Road late Thursday afternoon.
“It (the investigation) just really went well,” said Tobias.
“I’m really proud of the guys,” he added, praising officers and detectives for “putting their heads together and working extra hours. They were firing on all cylinders and all bouncing ideas off of each other.”
He said police received a “big break” in the case through the juvenile probation department due to Castillo’s prior record and “their familiarity with him.”
The Meijer robbery occurred eight days after Chief Market Square on Deitrick Street was robbed at knifepoint. Police provided a description of a suspect similar to the one in the Meijer robbery.
Asked if Castillo is a suspect in that crime, Tobias said yes. However, he said, “We’re still working on that. We have some evidence to wrap up.”
Persons with additional information concerning either robbery are asked to call the police department at 419-784-5050.
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