Just got off the phone with the Alaska State Troopers. They called with good news.
First: The Ruger Mini-14 that some low life stole off my snowmachine in 1996, has turned up in a BATF audit of a gun shop in Virginia. This gun shop has had it go through their possession several times. They turned the name of the original seller to them over to the authorities. The Alaska Troopers said they will request it be shipped to them so they can return it to me.
Second: The person I and several neighbors suspect stole my 30-06 Handi barrel with the Shepard scope, and many more items too numerous to mention, has been arrested in Fairbanks on armed robbery charges. He was arraigned yesterday, and it looks good that he will serve time. Too bad they can't connect him with the thefts of all the houses here in our area. Local teens say he was the one riding my motorcycle that was also stolen at that time, that was later recovered.