HILO — Two men alleged to be part of an auto theft ring appeared in court Monday.
HILO — Two men alleged to be part of an auto theft ring appeared in court Monday.
Hilo District Judge Peter Bresciani ordered 18-year-old Kahekili Krause of Mountain View and 24-year-old Arnold Fernandez of Volcano to return at 2 p.m. today for a preliminary hearing.
Krause is charged with second-degree burglary, attempted second-degree burglary, first-degree theft and unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle. Bresciani reduced Krause’s bail from $25,000 to $20,000 in that case.
Fernandez is charged with second-degree burglary, attempted second-degree burglary and unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle. Bresciani reduced Fernandez’s bail from $6,000 to $4,000.
In addition, Krause pleaded not guilty Monday in Hilo Circuit Court to reckless driving and two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening for allegedly driving a Honda sedan at Officer Dwight Walker on Jan. 19 in Hawaiian Beaches.
Judge Greg Nakamura ordered Krause to appear for trial at 9 a.m. June 19 and reduced his bail for those charges from $21,000 to $10,500.
According to court documents filed by police, Aloha Kia Kona reported on Jan. 25 that a new black Nissan 370Z valued at $30,000 was stolen off its lot. Police say that car ran off Ainaloa Boulevard and overturned in a yard. One eyewitness said the man was driving the car moments before the crash and another identified Krause as the only male fleeing the scene, documents state.
Deputy Prosecutor Glenn Shiigi said the car was totaled in the wreck.
Both men also are accused of burglarizing Clint’s Auto Repair on Kilauea Avenue in Hilo and trying to burglarize Hirano Store in Glenwood in the early morning hours of Jan. 25.
According to court documents, video footage at both establishments showed a black Nissan two-door coupe arrive at the closed businesses. The driver was reportedly wearing long pants and a sweatshirt, while the passenger was wearing an Adidas sweatshirt.
The driver was identified as Fernandez while the passenger was identified as Krause by employees at the Keaau 7-Eleven store, where they stopped for gasoline, according to police.
At the garage, video footage shows both men rummaging through items, documents state. Fernandez allegedly ate a banana he found in the shop and Krause allegedly walked up to a video camera and took it, disabling it.
At Hirano Store, both men were reportedly seen kicking the front door, then trying to pry it open, activating an audible alarm which caused them to flee, according to documents.
The method of the alleged car theft is similar to one police say was employed by Kahee Manuwai, a 26-year-old Hilo man, whom police say drove two new Subaru WRX sports coupes off the lot at Hilo Mazda-Subaru and Kona Mazda-Subaru.
He’s scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday in Hilo District Court.
Police are still seeking another man they think is involved in a recent rash of auto thefts on the Big Island, 33-year-old Shannon Navor of Pahoa.
He’s described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, about 205 pounds with brown eyes and short black hair.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.