Woman Accused Of Break-In

VALPARAISO, Ind. (STMW) -- A 52-year-old who is the executor of her grandmother's estate believes an acquaintance from Alcoholics Anonymous broke into and was living in her late grandmother's house, in the 200 block of West Division Road.

A real estate agent, who discovered someone had been staying in the vacant house, reported the break-in. Also, several bad checks had been written to individuals and a tattoo parlor from the deceased woman's account.

The suspect, Tina Fischer, 39, had been arrested by Valparaiso Police on Friday for stealing a city-owned pickup.

When questioned by Porter County police about the checks, Fischer said the 52-year-old woman gave her permission to stay in the house and take anything that was there, and she assumed that included the checks.

Another acquaintance described Fischer as homeless.

Meanwhile, Fischer was taken into custody shortly after a gray 2006 Ford F-150, belonging to the Valparaiso Water Reclamation Department and worth $14,000, was stolen at about 9:25 a.m. Friday on Indiana Avenue, near the Porter County Courthouse.

Police followed the vehicle, which has Water Reclamation Department decals on its sides, into a parking lot near Porter hospital, then back onto Indiana, where the driver eventually stopped near College Avenue. Police handcuffed her at gunpoint.

Fischer said she had to go to the hospital, for a non-emergency reason, and took the truck because she "got tired of walking."

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