Hawaii Island police are asking for the public’s help in identifying two men wanted for a theft in Puna last week.
Hawaii Island police are asking for the public’s help in identifying two men wanted for a theft in Puna last week.
Around 11:40 a.m. Jan. 29, a 60-year-old homeowner reported to police two suspicious vehicles and at least four men who were on his property in Mountain View and allegedly stealing cut pieces of koa wood, according to the Hawaii County Police Department.
The victim initially thought a relative was on the property and approached the vehicles and the men, discovering that the men had loaded their trucks with the wood. After confronting two of the men, the victim managed to recover several pieces of his wood, according to police.
While he was calling police, both trucks fled the area. The victim reported that he heard gunshots coming from the direction of the vehicles at a distance away. He discovered that a chain preventing access to his property had been cut. The victim was not injured in the encounter, according to police.
One of the vehicles was described as a yellow full-size truck and the other as a red-and-white full-size truck, according to police. Neither vehicle displayed license plates.
One of the men — the passenger in the red-and-white truck — was described as “local,” in his 30s, about 5 feet 10 inches tall to 6 feet tall, weighing about 200 pounds with a muscular build, short black hair, and possible tattoos on his neck, according to police. He was wearing a light-colored short-sleeved T-shirt.
Another one of them men — the driver of the red-and-white truck — was described as “local,” in his 30’s, about 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall with a lighter complexion and short black hair, according to police. He was not wearing a shirt.
Although the victim did not get a good look at the two remaining suspects, he could recall that one of them was taller than the others and the other was about the same height as the first two, according to police.
Detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section are continuing the investigation, which is classified as a second-degree theft, first-degree reckless endangering, fourth-degree criminal property damage and first-degree criminal trespass.
Anyone with information on this incident or may know the identities of the suspects should contact Detective Clarence Davies of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 961-2384 or cdavies@co.hawaii.hi.us.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.