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Police arrest suspect in weekend theft of ivory, carvings

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson
Elephants such as this one photographed in Tanzania are being hunted to extinction for their ivory tusks. Photo by Schuyler Shepherd, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic license
Elephants such as this one photographed in Tanzania are being hunted to extinction for their ivory tusks. The US Wildlife Trafficking Alliance says the secondary market for ivory perpetuates the brutal cycle that begins with the poaching of elephants in the wild. Photo by Schuyler Shepherd, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic license

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Anchorage police have arrested a 60-year-old suspect in the theft of walrus ivory and carved artifacts from a store on the city’s east side.

Timothy Hayes was arrested Saturday night at Point Woronzof on suspicion of burglary, theft and criminal mischief.

Employees of Duane’s Auction Market on Saturday morning called to report their front door glass window smashed. They determined that someone broke in at 5:30 a.m., stole collectables and fled in a car.

Surveillance video recorded the theft.

Airport police Saturday night checked on a man whom witnesses said was asking for gas money at Point Woronzof.

Police spotted an ivory tusk sticking out from beneath a blanket in the car’s back seat. A search revealed other artifacts.

Online court documents do not list Hayes’ attorney.

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