An Anchorage man wanted for allegedly bilking victims out of about $130,000 was in jail Friday after fugitive hunters caught him late Thursday, police said.
Members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested Kyle Dwiggins on fraud and theft charges in a Midtown parking lot after tracking him for several days, said police spokeswoman Anita Shell. Police have had an arrest warrant for Dwiggins since Dec. 12.
Dwiggins, the 26-year-old owner of a company called Sooner Repairs, is accused of failing to complete home-repair work for which he'd been paid and for stealing rental deposits for an apartment that wasn't his. Police say he stole from at least 21 people.
Tips from citizens, as well as leads developed by the fugitive task force, led to Dwiggins' arrest in a parking lot outside a strip mall on West Tudor Road, Shell said.
"He was walking, and they approached and made the arrest," Shell said. "It was without incident."
Police say Dwiggins hung fliers on doors, mostly in East Anchorage, advertising his home remodel and repair services over the summer. He would accept jobs and either do part of the work or none at all after receiving money as a deposit or for supplies, according to a charging document. At least 15 people fell victim to that scam, police said.
In November, Dwiggins began advertising his West Anchorage apartment on Craigslist. He took deposits from at least six people for the apartment, which the alleged victims later learned did not belong to Dwiggins, police said. Dwiggins moved out before the real landlord, the renters or the police could confront him, the charges say.
Dwiggins was initially held on $15,000 cash bail, according to court records. His arraignment was initially scheduled for Friday, then reset for today.
Dwiggins' brother, Leon Dwiggins, was at Jail Court on Friday hoping to see his younger sibling "pay for his crimes."
"It's a real bad deal, and none of my family support him," Leon Dwiggins said.
Kyle Dwiggins had stolen from the family and others in the past to pay for expensive items without working for them, Leon Dwiggins said. "My understanding is he liked to flaunt things," the elder Dwiggins said.
By CASEY GROVE
Anchorage Daily News