Burglars hit forestry building, again

PALMER — Valley-based hot-shot firefighting crews discovered Monday they were again the victims of burglary while out of town fighting fires.

“It definitely is frustrating. It wasn’t quite the damage that was done last time but we had missing both personal and state equipment,” Norm McDonald, head of the Division of Forestry in Palmer said.

The building that was hit on Woodworth Loop serves as headquarters to both the Pioneer Peak and Gannet Glacier crews. Pioneer Peak is currently battling blazes in the Lower 48. They were in Utah at the time but were just recently transferred to Idaho.

“Gannet Glacier just returned from a fire in Fairbanks. They were the ones who noticed the damage when they were refurb(ish)ing gear,” McDonald said.

Stolen were laptop computers and car stereos, chainsaws and other firefighting gear, and two vehicles, McDonald said.

The last time the building was hit was summer of 2010. Five vehicles were stolen and an additional $25,000 worth of property was stolen then — mostly the same kind of stuff, stereos, chainsaws and computers.

But in addition to the thefts, in 2010 the building was trashed. Seemingly every desk drawer was pulled out. A trailer was broken in half and the boat that was on it left lying on the garage floor. There was even allegations — later denied in court — that the thief had urinated on things he didn’t take.

McDonald said the damage this time was less extensive. And fewer vehicles, obviously, were stolen.

“It wasn’t to the extent of last time because some of the guys have their wives and families pick up their trucks and move them,” he said.

Crews since 2010 also have been more wary about leaving personal stuff in their lockers. But to an extent that’s unavoidable. The call to head out to a fire often comes on very short notice.

McDonald said he didn’t think the two break-ins were related except that both were crimes of opportunity committed on a building that, though locked up tight and secured, isn’t monitored as closely when crews are out protecting homes and fighting forest fires. He said that exactly how the thief got inside the building is still part of the investigation but some locks inside were cut with bolt cutters.

In 2010, Alaska State Troopers were able to follow the evidence, recovering four out of five stolen vehicles along the way before arresting Stephen E. Foster, 30, a drug addict with a long rap sheet, who was eventually sentenced to 12 years in prison. Prison databases Tuesday listed him as an inmate of Cook Inlet Pre-Trial in Anchorage. At his sentencing hearing he said he acted alone, returning to the building again and again to steal things.

McDonald said he’s hopeful troopers can repeat their performance this time and that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

“The troopers are on it and they’re gathering evidence and some stuff that they’re going to work on some leads,” McDonald said. “I’m hoping that they catch these folks again and deal with them.”

He said anyone with information — maybe they’ve seen someone with a new pickup or firefighting gear — should call Alaska State Troopers at 745-2131 or, to remain anonymous, Mat-Su Crime Stoppers at 745-3333.

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