PALMER — Kelly Turney said he’s had a premonition — Angie Minnick is going to interrupt his Thanksgiving dinner.

Turney, a detective sergeant at the Palmer Police Department, has been hunting Minnick, 30, since September. Turney alleges she’s behind a string of thefts and forgeries in Anchorage and the Valley.

He said police have been hot on her trail. They just missed her at City Diner in Anchorage and then again at Nordstrom’s. “They just missed her slumped over the wheel at Northern Lights and Arctic a few days ago,” Turney said.

With so many near misses, Turney said, it’s looking more and more likely his holiday will be interrupted by a call to arrest her.

“They’re going to call me up Thanksgiving. It’s got that ju-ju feeling about it,” he said.

Karen Anderson, reached in California, said her mother is one of the people Minnick is alleged to have stolen from.

She said her mother’s car was parked at a church in central Anchorage. Her mother was inside the church, practicing the Messiah with her choir.

They got her mother’s purse, cell phone and a package she was sending to California — a wrapped present for Anderson’s son.

“It was a $250 PSP,” Anderson said. “It had the postage on it, she just hadn’t dropped it off yet.”

Later, Anderson said, her mom got a call from the City Diner. The clerk had apparently called the number on a check she’d just received for $50 worth of breakfast.

Anderson said the clerk told her mother, “ ‘hey we forgot to include something in your breakfast order.’ My mom said, ‘well that’s a hot check.’”

Turney confirmed Anderson’s story. He also said it’s true, as Anderson wrote in an e-mail, that Minnick is alleged to have made off with more than $1,000 found in a car. The money was bound for a soldier serving in Iraq.

“The parents were going to immediately wire it to his bank account to pay his bills while he was serving there,” Anderson wrote.

Anderson said she hopes to get the word out this holiday season that folks should be wary – lock your cars and don’t leave valuables inside.

“Watch your property and don’t let this person and her friends ruin your holidays,” she said.

Two people Turney believes were Minnick’s accomplices have so far been arrested. Wendy Remington, aka Contessa Estes, was arrested Oct. 9 on drug misconduct charges.

On Nov. 1, Ryan Burkhart, Minnick’s boyfriend, was arrested on a warrant for allegedly robbing a 13-year-old boy of his ATV.

Turney said Burkhart has since been charged with theft, forgery, fraud and criminal impersonation for writing a check at Palmer Carrs.

The check was for two $100 Visa gift cards and a Coca-Cola Classic.

The gift cards are part of Minnick’s M.O., Turney said. It’s an attempt to add a level of anonymity to the whole thing, but all it’s really done is add another step in the process as he tracks everything down.

“Everything’s traceable nowadays,” Turney said.

Both Anchorage and Mat-Su Crime Stoppers are offering up to $1,000 reward for information leading to Minnick’s arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call 745-3333 in the Valley or 561-STOP in Anchorage. Tips can also be submitted online via either organization’s Web page.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.