Man, Woman Charged in Connection to String of Ka‘ū Property Crimes

Hawaiʻi police have arrested and charged two individuals suspected of being responsible for several property crimes recently reported in the Ocean View area.

During the early morning hours of Monday, June 6, 2022, Ka‘ū patrol officers responding to a report of several windows damaged at two separate businesses on the 92-8600 block of Lotus Blossom Lane in Ocean View determined that the windows had been damaged after an object was thrown at them.

In the course of investigation, police determined that two more businesses, located on the 92-8700 block of Māmalahoa Highway, had also sustained damages to their windows after being struck with an object.

Upon reviewing video surveillance footage from several area businesses, police identified two suspects: 28-year-old Daeja Elizabeth Taetuna, of Kailua-Kona, and 33-year-old Peterson Balos of Ocean View.

At 4:42 p.m. on Monday, June 6, Ka‘ū patrol officers apprehended Taetuna in the area of Manuka State Park and she was taken into custody while a detective from the Area II Criminal Investigation Section continued the investigation.

On Tuesday, June 7, Taetuna was charged with four counts of criminal property damage in the fourth degree and her bail was set at $2,000. She has since made her initial court appearance and is being held at the Hawaii Community Correctional Facility.

Police determined that the second suspect, Balos, was also involved in two burglaries at a business located on the 92-8600 block of Lotus Blossom Lane in Ocean View. The first burglary occurred in the early morning hours of Friday, June 11, and the second took place in the early morning hours of Monday, June 13. During the course of investigating the burglaries, it was determined that video surveillance footage showed a man, later identified as Balos, entering into the business and removing items on two separate occasions while the business was closed.

At 10:35 a.m. on Monday, June 13, Balos was apprehended in the Ocean View area and taken into custody while a detective from the Area II Criminal Investigation Section continued the investigation.

After conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office, Balos was charged with two counts of burglary in the second degree and his bail was set at $4,000. Balos made his initial court appearance on Tuesday, June 14.

Investigators determined that Balos may be responsible for several other break-ins that occurred last November at other businesses in the Ocean View area. These investigations will be forwarded to the County Prosecutor’s Office for their review.

Anyone with information on these investigations is encouraged to contact Detective Donovan Kohara at 808-326-4646 ext. 267, or via email at [email protected], or call the police department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311.

Citizens who wish to remain anonymous can make an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers does not record any calls or subscribe to caller ID.