Posted: 12/1/2007 12:27:22 AM EDT
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A resident who lives near Two Rivers is far from home at the moment, serving her country. She is deployed with the Alaska Air National Guard in Kyrgyzstan for eight months and isn’t due back for some time. While this lady has been off doing her military service, someone broke into her house and ripped off almost everything inside, treating her home like a garbage dump. She is a divorced mom, and her kids are staying with their dad in Fairbanks while she is away. The dad, the kids and everyone who knows this family in Fairbanks is bewildered and more than a little upset about what happened. I learned about this from the dad’s boss, who heard the tale from his longtime employee. He called me and said he can’t believe something like this would happen in Fairbanks and wonders what we’re coming to. Considering the circumstances, it strikes me as a particularly outrageous crime. The thieves who ransacked her house and went through her personal possessions also took her truck. They stripped the house of most of its contents and may have driven away with them in her truck. The stolen truck is a 1998 maroon Dodge with an 8-foot bed. When I find out the license number, I’ll mention it here. Because she was going to be gone for an extended period, she canceled her insurance on the truck before leaving Fairbanks, a friend of the family says. The friend said she’s arranging the power of attorney paperwork to check on other insurance and financial matters. The woman’s wood stove was stolen, along with much of her firewood. The Toyo oil stove and the 300-gallon fuel tank connected to it were taken, as well as the refrigerator, the dining room table, the cook stove, some of the pipes, the water heater, smoke detectors, food from the cupboards, her mother’s quilts and a lot more. The water tank is under the house, so that wasn’t stolen. The dad told me the house reeks of heating oil, which must have been spilled inside when they yanked out the oil stove. Papers and other items are strewn about the house. The criminals unhooked the toilet in the bathroom and dragged it into the kitchen, perhaps hoping to come back for it later. The looting may have happened last week on or about Thanksgiving or earlier, one friend believes. The dad has been going out there every night to clean up what he can. He said he needs to figure out a way to get rid of the fuel smell and provide heat to the house. Along with friends of the family, he is helping compile a list of what is missing. They want to give the Alaska State Troopers whatever help they can in finding the culprit or culprits. They have secured the property. Because of the volume of material stolen, my guess is that someone must have seen something that will help in this investigation. The case is being handled by trooper Mike Wery, who can be contacted by calling 451-5100. Among the other stolen items are: a Glock 21 pistol, a Husqvarna 142 chainsaw, a TV, a DVD player, assorted tools, a drill, a wringer washer, a Cannondale bicycle, a keyboard, a circular saw, a shop-vac, flack vests and a camera. “They took many other things we are not aware of, just due to the fact that it is not our home,” a friend said. I haven’t communicated with the Guard member directly yet, so I’ve held off using her name. I have two thoughts about this situation. First, I hope that someone knows what happened and calls the troopers. Second, I hope that the community responds in some way to make this right before the lady returns home |
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What a load of crap that someone would do something like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I recall the Minister in Big Lake shooting the two intruders and killing them several years back. They both had been stripping homes and selling of anything they could. Their families knew what their line of work was and were okay with it. Both of the individuals had a big drug issue and would do anything to get the next high. I do agree that it will be someone that knew this lady in one manner or another. To strip a house in the manner you stated means no one was checking it very often. |