"It's kind of a new trend that we're seeing. People leaving and coming back to nothing," said Det. Matt Williams of the Anchorage Police Department burglary unit.
At least four times in the past two months, vacationers have had their Anchorage homes ransacked by burglars, added Lt. David Parker, a police spokesman.
Police believe the Durango, along with a Dodge Dakota, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .30-30 Winchester rifle, credit cards, a Wii, a flat-screen TV and snowboards were all stolen over the course of multiple break-ins at a Tanada Loop duplex while the people who lived there vacationed out of state.
"Pretty much everything that's not nailed down they took," Williams said.
Charged with the crime are David Santoyo, 22, who was caught driving the Durango, and 20-year-old Brittani Shawanokasic, a passenger in the SUV.
Santoyo was found carrying the owner of the Durango's ID card in his wallet, not to mention more than a gram of methamphetamine and a switchblade, Williams said.
Shawanokasic, meantime, wore a jacket, shirt and pants taken from one of the burglarized duplex units. "Everything she was wearing was stolen," Williams said.
TWO OTHER BURGLARIES
Among other recent vacation burglaries was the November theft of a Ford pickup and a Jeep Grand Cherokee and other items from a home on the 6500 block of Downey Finch Drive in South Anchorage, police said.
In that case, a Hillside family lost 19 firearms, a marriage license, Social Security cards and an address book, police reported at the time.
Two men in their 20s were arrested on Dec. 1 in connection with the theft.
Then on Jan. 3 a family returned to its home on the 2300 block of Legacy Drive, off of the Seward Highway, to find someone had taken a BMW, a safe, a big screen TV, jewelry and other items.
The next day, police found six juveniles riding in the BMW, arresting one for auto theft.
TAKE PRECAUTIONS
Anchorage police on Monday urged vacationers to take precautions to prevent burglars from targeting their homes, including:
• Use automatic timers on your lights to give the appearance that someone is home.
• Hide car keys, spare credit cards and other valuables or consider using a safety deposit box.
• Don't broadcast your vacation plans on Facebook or MySpace.
• Have a trusted neighbor or friend watch your home while you're gone, including shoveling snow or parking a car in the driveway to signal that someone is staying at the house.
In the most recent burglary, one of the suspects not only knew the people he's accused of stealing from. They were related.
Santoyo, who is charged with vehicle theft, burglary and other crimes, is the cousin of one of the people who live at the burglarized duplex on the 12700 block of Tanada Loop, police said.
His mother lived in the other unit, Williams said.
Call Kyle Hopkins at 257-4334 or e-mail khopkins@adn.com.
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.