Footprints in the snow. An Alaska State Trooper, patiently hiding nearby. In a dramatic overnight operation, Alaska State Troopers apprehended 41-year-old Ronald Campbell of Nenana, thwarting what is described as an ongoing burglary. The arrest, made in the early hours of Jan. 16, followed a covert surveillance operation by the Troopers.
It started around 8:05 pm on Jan. 15, when the Troopers were alerted by a homeowner, currently out of town for work, about suspicious activity at his residence. The homeowner had been informed by a neighbor in Nenana about Campbell’s suspicious retreat from the out-of-town man’s residence.
Recognizing the recent surge in thefts and burglaries in the area, the Troopers responded discreetly. On arrival, fresh footprints in the snow led them from the homeowner’s house to an open kitchen window, signaling a break-in. Inside the house, the Trooper discovered a breached gun cabinet with two handguns and ammunition missing, though several long guns remained.
Anticipating the burglar’s return for the remaining firearms, the Trooper secured permission to stay overnight in the house. This strategic decision paid off when Campbell re-entered the home through the kitchen window at around 3:30 am, only to be arrested on the spot. He was found in possession of two axes, a large knife, a backpack with tools, and a drill with drill bits.
Further investigation led the Trooper to backtrack Campbell’s footprints across town to his residence. A search warrant executed at Campbell’s home revealed both stolen handguns, the ammunition, additional weapons including shotguns, rifles, and prohibited items like a sawed-off shotgun and a homemade suppressor. Campbell, a multiple felon, is prohibited from possessing certain firearms, including handguns.
Campbell was remanded to Fairbanks Correctional Center on multiple charges, including Burglary 1st Degree, two counts of Theft 2nd Degree, Theft 4th Degree, Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree, three counts of Misconduct Involving a Weapon 3rd Degree, and Possession of Burglary Tools.
