Barking Dog Leads to Kona Break-In Arrest

A dog is credited for alerting a Kona worker to an in-progress break-in on Alapa Street in Kona Sunday.

According to the Hawai`i Police Department, a 39-year-old man working at an undisclosed business heard his dog barking, which led to the discovery of two men rummaging through a toolbox on the bed of his pickup truck. The worker approached the two suspects, who fled the scene with a hand drill in a case. Coins were eventually discovered to be missing from the truck. A sports utility vehicle parked next to the truck was also broken into.

Authorities credit the help of the public in identifying one of the two suspects, 23-year-old Kailua-Kona resident Joshua Leiataua. He was arrested at 4:13 p.m. on Ehu Street on the same day of the burglary.

A search warrant was executed on Leiataua’s backpack. Police found crystal methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia during that search.

Leiataua was officially charged on Tuesday with two counts of unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, promoting a dangerous drug, and possessing drug paraphernalia. He remains in the Kona police cellblock on $40,000 bail.

The identity of the second suspect is currently unknown.