Wasilla teen charged for burglary spree

MAT-SU -- A Wasilla teen-ager has been lodged at Mat-Su Youth Facility on charges related to a string of burglaries stretching back to September 2002, police said.

Alaska State Troopers arrested the 16-year-old on Thursday. He's charged with first-degree burglary; second-degree theft; misconduct involving a controlled substance in the third, fourth and sixth degrees; fifth-degree criminal mischief; tampering with evidence; and violation of conditions of release, troopers said in a news release.

The burglaries and thefts occurred in the area near Seldon Road and Wasilla-Fishhook Road. Troopers said the boy had some stolen property in his possession and had tried to hide it to avoid discovery. He also had several controlled substances, including cocaine, troopers said.

Also, he violated conditions of his juvenile probation conditions of release by having a .22-caliber handgun, according to the news release.

Troopers said most of the stolen property has been recovered. It has an estimated value of $10,000.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between troopers' patrol and burglary suppression units, and Mat-Su Corrections.