Homeowner stops burglar, holds him for troopers

PALMER — Alaska State Troopers say a homeowner who walked in on a burglar in the act of stealing from him Wednesday held the thief until help arrived.

According to an AST report, the burglary was reported at 10:42 a.m. on Allison Court, a road on the Springer system of roads close to the Matanuska River.

Troopers say the burglar, later identified as James Sweeney, 26, of Palmer, ran from the home with $2,000 worth of stuff when the homeowner confronted him. He apparently didn’t get far, though.

“The homeowner subdued Sweeney until troopers arrived on scene and arrested Sweeney. The homeowner suffered minor injuries during the altercation,” according to the report.

Sweeney was arrested for robbery, burglary, theft, assault, hindering prosecution and violating the conditions of his release.

That last charge came because he had apparently been recently let out of jail while he awaited trial on burglary and theft charges.

Sweeney was jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility on $30,000 bail and will need to find a third party to watch him before he can be released. Jail records Thursday morning showed he was still incarcerated.