Suspected burglars caught after nearly two months

WASILLA -- An investigation by Alaska State Troopers has resulted in the arrest of two men suspected of burglarizing a Butte home in September, troopers reported last week.

Alex Hill and Jeffrey Perkins, both 20, along with an unidentified third suspect, allegedly stole $15,000 in cash and checks from a Butte residence in September.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 7, Lilly Hale called troopers to report three people had broken into her house and robbed her, according to court documents.

Hill and Perkins initially denied any involvement in the burglary, although the night of the robbery Hale told troopers she suspected Hill was behind it; Hill, who has a prior felony conviction, used to live with Hale and had stolen small amounts of money from her in the past, she said.

Hale, who owns Pony Wheel Ranch and sells pony rides at the Alaska State Fair every year, had just returned from working the last night of the fair on Sept. 7.

Because Hale worked late that night, she didn't have time to deposit her earnings from the fair -- approximately $15,000 in cash and checks.

At 4:30 the next morning, Hale awoke to a phone call. A female voice said, "Your horses are making my dogs bark," and then hung up, according to an affidavit filed Tuesday by Trooper Scott Briggs.

Hale climbed out of bed, got dressed and drove about a mile away to the place where she keeps her horses. When she arrived at the corral, Hale said the horses were out but she got them back into the corral without incident and returned home.

When she arrived home, three people in dark hooded sweaters burst from her bedroom and ran past her, pushing her down in the process. Hale said she saw one of the suspects with her cash box and money bag. She was able to grab the hood of one suspect, but couldn't hang on.

After the trio ran down the road, Hale discovered all her earnings from the state fair were missing.

Troopers interviewed Hill later that day. He said he had not been to Hale's residence in more than a year and denied involvement in the robbery.

But nearly two months later, a third suspect, a person whose name troopers have requested remain unpublished, confessed to troopers and named Hill and Perkins as accomplices.

On Tuesday, Nov. 9, Troopers arrested Hill and Perkins in Wasilla; they both admitted to the robbery and told troopers they ended up with about $8,000 in cash, which they split three ways; they burned the checks, money bag and cash box they took from Hale's house.

Hill and Perkins were each charged with first-degree burglary and second-degree theft. Hill's bail was set at $20,000 cash and a court-approved third- party custodian; Perkins' bail was set at $10,000 cash and a court-approved third-party custodian. They are currently in custody at Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility in Palmer.

The third suspect will likely be arrested, troopers said.

Briggs said the Valley has seen a surge in the number of burglaries over the last several months.

"People go out and do this, get their fix and then they're set for a while," Briggs said. "The majority of them tend to be young people and most of them do it to support drug habits."

Contact John Davidson at john.davidson@frontiersman.com.