Pāhoa Man Arrested for 4 Burglaries in Leilani Estates

Alexandru Stingu-Dragomir, HPD photo.

Hawaiʻi Island police have charged a Pāhoa man for four burglaries in the Leilani Estates Subdivision, an area covered by an Emergency Proclamation declared by the Mayor’s Office on May 3, 2018.

On Wednesday May 9, a 66-year old man, told police that he and an acquaintance arrived at his Moku Street home to retrieve personal belongings when the victim encountered a man exiting the victim’s home office. The victim discovered that the suspect had keys in his possession that was taken from the office.

At 12:03 p.m. the suspect, 29-year old Alexandru Stingu-Dragomir, was arrested without incident after the victim and his acquaintance drove the suspect to the police checkpoint at the Highway 130 and Leilani Avenue intersection. He was taken to the Hilo Cellblock while Detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section continued the investigation.

In addition to the home office, investigators determined that the suspect also entered into two other dwellings on the victim’s property, as well as a neighboring home on Moku Streeet.

At 2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 10, Stingu-Dragomir was charged with three counts of burglary of a dwelling, each being a Class “A” felony, and one count of burglary of a building, a Class “B” felony, which occurred during an emergency period. He remains in the Hilo cellblock in lieu of $175,000 bail pending his initial appearance in South Hilo District Court scheduled for Friday, May 11.

Section 708-817 of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes provides that if a person commits the offense of burglary of a dwelling during an emergency period proclaimed by the governor or mayor pursuant to chapter 127A and within the area covered by the emergency period, the offender is subject to a Class “A” felony, punishable by up to 20 years of incarceration. The Class “B” felony charge is punishable by up to 10 years of incarceration.

Anyone who may have information about these incidents is asked to call the Hawai‘i Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Detective William Brown of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2384 or [email protected].

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 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.

This information was provided by the authorities. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.