[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n Thursday morning, Anchorage police took three persons in separate stolen vehicle cases into custody, all completed before noon. Arrested were 39-year-old Malik T. Newkirk, 39-year-old Charles J. Talsma, and 23-year-old Skylar S. Robbins. All three suspects were remanded to the Anchorage Jail Complex.

During the early morning hours of Thursday, at 2:44 am, an officer on mid-shift patrol on the 700-block of East 11th Avenue spotted a Honda CRV at the entrance of an alleyway and ran the plates to find that those plates had been reported stolen on November 2nd.

Backup arrived and APD performed a felony stop on the vehicle and two suspects were taken into custody.

The VIN was run on the Honda to find that it had been reported stolen on October 29th and the plates were swapped with the plates stolen on November 2nd. The owner reported that she had inadvertently left her keys in the doorknob of her apartment on the 1400-block of West 26th Avenue overnight. She awoke to find that her keys had been taken as well the vehicle that she had parked in her assigned parking space.

Just prior to the arresting process, the patrol officer queried Newkirk, who had refused to identify himself, if he had any weapons or needles on his person, Newkirk replied that he did not. During the patdown, the officer would find a knife and a syringe loaded with a substance.

He was taken APD where he was questioned and had his fingerprints taken. His fingerprints would reveal his identity and APD would find that Newkirk had a $5,000 felony warrant on drug and DUI charges where he had failed to appear for his change of plea hearing.

He was transported to and remanded at the Anchorage Jail on charges of Vehicle Theft I, Theft I and II and MICS IV. During the booking process, Corrections Officers would find drug paraphernalia and a heroin-filled syringe on Newkirk’s person and an additional charge of Promoting Contraband was added to his charges.

Approximately five hours later, at 7:32 am, a caller reported a driver passed out behind the wheel of a green Toyota near West 18th Avenue and Arctic Boulevard. With the information provided, dispatch did a computer check to find that the Toyota Rav4 had been reported stolen nine days earlier. the owner had reported that he had left his vehicle unlocked with the keys in the ignition on the 1300-block of Primrose Street on November 20th.

Responding officers blocked in the vehicle before knocking on the vehicle’s window then opening the door and contacting the suspect.

Talsma was taken into custody and taken to APD for questioning. As a result, Talsma was charged with Vehicle Theft I and Theft II. He was remanded to the Anchorage Jail on the charges.

At about the same time as the previous call that resulted in Talsma’s arrest, another call was received by APD reporting the theft of a white 2006 Chevy Silverado that had been parked in the Dimond Center’s parking lot the night before. The owner reported that his vehicle was locked when stolen.

20 minutes later, at 8:05 am, an additional report came in reporting a hit and run crash at East Seward Highway and East Tudor Road. APD was informed that “The Chevy was traveling northbound on the Seward off-ramp when it wedged itself between two lanes and sideswiped a vehicle.  The Chevy fled eastbound on Tudor,” police said.

The stolen Chevy was located by an officer at an apartment complex on the 2400-block of Sentry Drive at 10:30 am. In the bed of the truck, police would find parts for another Chevy.

Officers followed tracks in the snow originating at the Chevy that led officers to a Subaru parked behind a residence on the 8900-block of Arlon. Police set up a perimeter and issued commands. Robbins would be found in the trunk of the Subaru. He was removed from the trunk and taken to the department for questioning. 

While at the department, Robbins was found to have two outstanding warrants. He was remanded to the Anchorage jail on the warrants and further charges of Vehicle Theft I, Theft II. During the booking process Correctional Officers would find heroin hidden in a body cavity and so he was additionally charged with Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance IV.

  Alaska, Anchorage, charles talsma, crash, drugs, heroin, hit and run, malik newkirk, skylar robbins, theft, vehicle, warrants