Police investigate Puna home invasion

Hawaii Police are investigating a reported residential robbery Wednesday night in Puna.

At about 8 p.m. Wednesday, police received a call of a robbery at a home in the Fern Forest subdivision in Mountain View. Two female occupants, ages 64 and 50, reported hearing loud noises and the sound of a man yelling, “police” outside their house.

The 50-year-old woman reported that two men forced their way into the house, one brandishing a bat-like object, and demanded money. He took an undisclosed amount of money, as well as the victim’s phone, and fled from the house.

Both victims reported hearing gunshots coming from the direction of the roadway fronting the house. The suspects are believed to have fled in separate vehicles, described as a light sedan and a dark sedan. While awaiting the arrival of police, the 64-year-old woman reported that her handbag and contents had been stolen during the robbery.

The suspect with the bat is described as about 5-foot-9-inches tall and wearing jeans, a dark blue baseball cap, a black hooded sweatshirt and a blue-and-white bandana over his face.

The victims were unable to observe the second suspect and could not provide a physical description.

Neither victim sustained any injuries during the incident, which is being classified as first-degree burglary, second-degree robbery and second-degree reckless endangering cases.

Detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section are continuing the investigation. They ask anyone with information on this incident or anyone who may have witnessed it to call the Police Department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Clarence Davies at 961-2384 or cdavies@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.