Brothers face felony charges in gym thefts, use of stolen police van 
BY STEPHEN DYER
Beacon Journal staff writer

CUYAHOGA FALLS: A man accused of spending the past
few weeks with his brother stealing credit cards from area
fitness center lockers and using a minivan stolen from the
Philadelphia Police Department said at his video arraignment
yesterday that he didn't understand why he was facing the
charges.

"I was in court in Stow (actually, Cuyahoga Falls) when the
other crimes were committed," Michael Todd Visel, 31, of
Niles, Mich., told Municipal Court Judge Kim Hoover from
the Summit County Jail. "I don't see how I could be charged."

"It would be in your best interest to not say anything at this
point," Hoover recommended.

Visel faces three felony counts of receiving stolen property
stemming from his Wednesday arrest just outside of the
Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court. Police said they caught him 
and his brother, Brian Lee Galbreath, 39, whose last known
address was Columbus, in a minivan used by the Philadelphia
Police Department for school crime prevention programs.

Police said the pair had stolen credit cards earlier Wednesday
from the Broad Street YMCA. Then, police said, Galbreath
bought $2,500 worth of computer equipment from the Chapel
Hill Mall Sears store, while Visel sat in court on charges for a
similar robbery from Stow Fitworks. Visel also faces charges
in Fairlawn in a Bath fitness center theft that police say
occurred the same day as the Fitworks job.

Gaibreath is facing three similar charges from Wednesday's
arrest. The pair will have a preliminary hearing Feb.22 at 11
a.m. before Municipal Court Judge Linda Teodosio.

Visel ignored Hoover's warnings not to say anything during
yesterday's arraignment and kept trying to explain himself.

"I would hope if there is any way possible...if I could get a
signature bond," Visel asked.

"No way," Hoover said. "According to my information, you
have been less than honest with the police throughout."

Hoover set Visel's bond at $50,000 cash.

"I work for a living," Visel explained. "This is not what I do.
I haven't seen my brother in two years, then..."

A Summit County Sheriffs deputy removed Visel from his seat
in front of the video camera before Visel could finish his
sentence.

Attorney Robert Coombs has been appointed by the court to
represent Visel. He would not comment yesterday.

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