Hawaii Island police charged three South Kona residents in connection with a crime spree in West Hawaii.
Hawaii Island police charged three South Kona residents in connection with a crime spree in West Hawaii.
On May 16, Kona Patrol officers responded to Honaunau Beach, where it was reported that keys had been stolen from the beach and that the victim saw his Jeep being driven away by two men and a woman, according to the Hawaii Police Department. While officers were still at the scene, another victim reported that he saw one of the men take his bag and leave the scene in the Jeep with the other two people.
The first victim left to look for his Jeep and spotted the three suspects at Hookena Beach in a parked Scion, which was later determined to have been stolen. He called the police, who arrested 23-year-old Mei S. Tanaka of Honaunau and 21-year-old Kainoa I. Lindo of Honaunau. Police recognized the second man, who was also a suspect in multiple theft cases, as 19-year-old Dylan J. Alcain of Captain Cook.
Alcain fled the area before police could arrest him.
Police recovered the stolen Jeep in bushes off Hookena Beach Road. They also recovered some stolen items from inside the Scion, as well as a smoking pipe with methamphetamine residue.
Tanaka and Lindo were taken to the Kona police cellblock while police continued the investigation.
On Sunday, Tanaka was charged with promoting a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. Her bail was set at $4,000. She remained at the cellblock until her initial court appearance on May 18.
That same day, detectives charged Lindo with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle. He was released after posting $2,000 bail.
In addition to the theft of the Jeep, detectives identified additional cases involving Alcain as a suspect between May 13 and Monday:
A residential burglary on Hookena Beach Road on May 16.
The theft of the Scion after the victim’s purse was removed from a shopping cart left briefly unattended at a store in Kailua-Kona on May 13.
A car break-in at a shopping center in Kealakekua on Sunday.
The theft of a bank bag containing cash and checks during a burglary at a store at at a store at a shopping center in Kealakekua on Sunday.
The theft of a backpack from a fast food restaurant in Captain Cook on Sunday.
The theft of a County of Hawaii F450 pickup truck from Napoopoo Road in Kealakekua on Monday.
The theft of a Nissan pickup truck from a home on Manako Road in Captain Cook on Monday.
While police were investigating the theft of the Nissan, they located and recovered the county truck from Manako Road. The next day, police located and recovered the Nissan.
On Wednesday, police located Alcain at a home near Milolii Village in South Kona. He was arrested at 10:30 a.m. and taken to the Kona police cellblock while detectives continued the investigation.
At 10 p.m. Thursday, he was charged with 19 crimes including seven counts of theft, four counts of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, two counts of unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, two counts of burglary, and one count each of unauthorized possession of personal information, promoting a dangerous drug, promoting a detrimental drug and possessing drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $36,250. He remained in the cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Friday.