A Hilo couple is facing a variety of theft-related offenses in connection with the Wednesday theft of a wallet at a Hilo area repair shop. A Hilo couple is facing a variety of theft-related offenses in connection with the Wednesday
A Hilo couple is facing a variety of theft-related offenses in connection with the Wednesday theft of a wallet at a Hilo area repair shop.
Brandi Heather McKee, 30, and 33-year-old Steven Robert Giatroudakis, both of Hilo, were charged with theft/forgery of a credit card, second-degree identity theft, third-degree identity theft, second-degree theft, third-degree theft, fourth-degree theft and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, according to the Hawaii County Police Department. Bail was set at $15,750 each.
McKee and Giatroudakis were arrested at 4:20 p.m. Wednesday after police received a call from a 22-year-old woman who reported she and her husband were following a sports utility vehicle that was occupied by a man and woman suspected of using her husband’s credit card, according to police. Police subsequently initiated a traffic stop and arrested both occupants; the SUV was recovered as evidence.
Her husband, a 21-year-old Hilo man, reported to police that around 2:30 p.m. that day, the same SUV and its occupants had arrived at a repair shop on Railroad Avenue in Hilo to inquire about a possible repair, according to police. After a short time, the couple left abruptly in their vehicle.
Shortly thereafter, the 21-year-old man received phone calls from his financial institution regarding suspicious transactions at two retail stores on Makaala Street, according to police. The man then discovered that his wallet and its contents, which had been at the repair shop, were missing.
After observing the same SUV on Makaala Street, the man and his wife began to follow it and called police to report its location, according to police. Police were able to recover the victim’s wallet and merchandise allegedly purchased with his credit card.
