Police say Jared Larson, 19, stole a Polaris RMK 700 from the Woodriver Apts on Jan 4, and "parted out" the engine for his own sled.
DILLINGHAM: Police have arrested a man they say stole a snowmachine in early January. Jared Larson, 19, was taken into custody by DPD Wednesday, one month and one day sincea Polaris RMK 700 was taken from outside the WoodRiver Apartments.
Chief Dan Pasquariello said the department received a number of tips after the theft, none of which panned out. Then on January 23, one person actually led them to the snow machine itself, sitting on Windmill hill, now missing its engine and front suspension.
Police followed footprints and an engine fluid trail through the snow to Larson’s residence.
As it turned out, Larson had recently put a new engine in his own previously inoperative snowmachine. He told police that the new engine had come from Anchorage. Officers were a bit curious that some of Larson's new engine's identification marks had been scratched off.
With the help of L&M Supply, police were able to track a serial number and determine that the engine removed from the stolen Polaris RMK 700 was in fact the one now in Larson's machine.
When police spoke again with Larson on Tuesday, they say he changed his story and admitted to the theft.
Larson has been charged with first degree vehicle theft, a class C felony, and is being held on $2500 bail until an arraignment Thursday morning.