Kona man facing robbery, theft charges

A 34-year-old Kailua-Kona man is facing robbery, theft and other charges stemming from a series crimes in the Keauhou area on Tuesday.

On Tuesday morning, a woman reported that an unknown man attempted to take her SUV by using physical force on Alii Drive near the Keauhou Shopping Center, according to the Hawaii Police Department. The man was successful in entering her vehicle, although he was unsuccessful in driving the vehicle away.

Police said the man then abruptly exited the SUV and attempted to enter a sedan that had stopped to assist the woman. The driver of the sedan was able to flee the area before the man entered their vehicle. The responsible man, later identified as Jacob Robert Altman, then fled the area.

A short time later, police dispatch received a series of calls from the area of Keauhou Bay alerting police that a man matching the same description as the person involved in the earlier vehicle incident had taken a man’s cell phone by force, police said. Altman was then observed taking a utility vehicle, which he drove south through a resort property damaging lighting and sprinklers.

Altman reportedly eventually abandoned the utility vehicle at the south end of Alii Drive and fled on foot in a southerly direction. After a search of the area, Altman was located and arrested.

He was charged Wednesday with first-degree robbery, first-degree unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, and second-degree theft. Bail was set at $16,000.

Anyone who may have additional information on the incident should contact Detective Mike Santos of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 326-4646, ext. 224, or email to michael.santos@hawaiicounty.gov.