Troopers arrest North Pole man found inside vacant Fairbanks apartment

A property owner's report of an unknown man inside a vacant rental unit led troopers to arrest a North Pole man on burglary and criminal mischief charges Saturday. Alaska State Troopers responded at 7:57 a.m. to 2368 Marigold Road, Apartment A, in Fairbanks.

Troopers found signs of forced entry and a makeshift sleeping area inside, per trooper dispatch AK26093274. They found Marco Valentine of North Pole hiding in the bathroom. Troopers estimated repair costs for the entry door and frame at $550.

Valentine was jailed on charges of first-degree burglary, a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years, and fourth-degree criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor covering damage between $250 and $750. The charges are accusations; he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The department's Crime in Alaska 2025 report counted 1,857 burglaries statewide, up from 1,771 in 2024. Forced entry accounted for 966 of them, or 52.0%, the report's largest category.