It was early this month that the Trooper’s Palmer Criminal Suppression Unit began a full-time investigation into the rash of thefts from vehicles at trailheads in the Mat-Su Valley.

Then, on January 29th, troopers on patrol observed a woman near the Crevasse Moraine parking lot looking into vehicles. AST made contact with the female, who initially gave the officers the wrong name and ID card. It would soon be determined that the suspect’s real name was Jessica Rose Jones, age 34, of Kenai. Troopers also reported that she had “a $1,000 outstanding Felony arrest warrant for Failing to Comply with Conditions of Probation with the original charges of Theft 2, Fraudulent Use of an Access Device and Forgery in the Second Degree.”

The investigation continued and led to the arrest of 31-year-old Paul Joseph Ahrens, of Palmer. He had “the following outstanding warrants: $1,000 c/c appearance for failing to comply with conditions of probation with the original charge of tampering with physical evidence; $1,000 c/c appearance for failing to comply with conditions of probation with the original charge of Theft 2; No Bail for a Parole Violation on the original charges of Theft 2, Theft 1, Scheme to Defraud, Theft 2, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Violating Conditions of Release (x6),” AST stated.

After a search warrant was requested and issued the search would turn up 17 different identification cards that included:

• Passports
• Military ID cards
• Voter’s registration cards
• Driver’s Licenses

Also seized in the search were 34 various debit and gift cards as well as multiple cell phones. Those cell phones were connected with trailhead thefts from vehicles.

Jones was arrested on her warrant as well as Theft II charges and Providing False Information. Ahrens was also arrested on theft II charges as well as Violating Conditions of Release. Trooper say that additional charges will be leveled at both Ahrens and Jones.

Both were transported to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility and remanded there.

According to AST, they are contacting victims and returning their found property.

  arrest, investigation, jessica jones, mat su, palmer, paul ahrens, thefts, trailhead, vehicles