Man arrested in Kolekole Beach Park robbery

Hawaii Police Department detectives have charged an 18-year-old Hilo man for several offenses stemming from an early morning robbery at Kolekole Beach Park in Hilo.

At 9:05 p.m. Friday evening, Tyler Kamanao Taylor of Hilo was charged for first-degree robbery, third-degree criminal property damage, two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, two counts of first-degree unlawful imprisonment, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, and two counts of second-degree theft. Total bail for Taylor was set at $121,000, and he was scheduled to make his initial court appearance Monday afternoon, police said.

Around 4:54 a.m. Wednesday, police received a report that a 29-year-old female victim and a 29-year-old male victim were camping at the Kolekole Beach Park when they were awakened by a male suspect who entered their tent. The suspect threatened them with a knife before taking several of their possessions and also demanded the keys to a rental vehicle that was parked nearby, police said.

The suspect left the area in the rental vehicle. The vehicle was found abandoned in the upper Wainaku area and has since been recovered by police.

Both victims walked to a nearby residence to call police and were uninjured during the incident.