Puna man charged in connection with alleged burglary, car thefts

A Big Island man faces several charges in connection with three separate alleged car thefts and a reported burglary, all of which are alleged to have taken place in past two months.

According to the Hawai’i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, 24-year-old Jonah Drummondo-Rodrigues was arrested and charged in the incidents that were reported in November and December. Drummondo-Rodrigues is alleged to have stolen a Chevrolet truck between Nov. 16 and 18, burglarized a Mountain View home on Nov. 18, stolen a Dodge pickup truck on Dec. 2 and stolen a race car and car trailer on Dec. 23.

Drummondo-Rodrigues remains in custody in lieu of $56,000 bail, pending his initial appearance Monday afternoon in Hilo District Court.

Drummondo-Rodrigues was charged with three counts of first-degree theft, two counts of first-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, first-degree burglary, second-degree theft and fourth-degree arson. The most serious offenses, first-degree theft and first-degree burglary, are Class B felonies, each punishable by either 10 years in prison or four years probation and up to 18 months in jail.

The cases were initiated by the Hawai’i Police Department’s South Hilo and Puna Patrols and the arrest was made by Officer Kris Palea with the South Hilo Patrol. The felony investigation was handled by Officer Daniel Tam and members of the Special Enforcement Unit of the Police Department’s Area I Criminal Investigation Section.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Soong.