Vehicle Taken at Gunpoint in Lower Puna

Hawaiʻi Island police are investigating a robbery that occurred on July 12, 2017, in lower Puna.

At about noon, two men were driving on Government Beach Road in the Waa Waa (Kapoho area) when a sedan forced them off the side of the road.

After both vehicles came to a stop, the front seat passenger from the sedan pointed a handgun at the victims and ordered them out of their car.

The suspect then fired one shot in the air before fleeing with the victim’s vehicle, identified as a blue 2007 Honda Accord EX-L, 4-door sedan, Hawai‘i License Plate ZDV 954.

The victims, a 19-year-old and a 24-year-old, both of Hilo, safely escaped into the brush after the shot was fired and were not injured.

The suspect’s vehicle could only be described as a light blue older-model sedan that may have been driven by a short, shirtless, heavyset male.

The gunman, who was wearing a bandana covering the lower portion of his face, is described as being between 5-feet-7 to 5-feet-8 inches with a thin build, having light-colored skin and green eyes. He has black hair in a Mohawk-cut, and was last seen wearing a black tank top and plaid shorts.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or have any other information about it is asked to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Detective Wendall Carter of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2383 or Wendall.Carter@hawaiicounty.gov.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to any caller ID service. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential