Kona man charged in electric bike theft, 2 unrelated criminal property damage cases; police continue to seek woman suspect

A 22-year-old Kona man faces several theft and burglary charges in the theft of an electric bike from a Kona business and two other unrelated criminal property damage cases.

Meanwhile, police continue to seek a woman suspect in the same electric bike theft.

Luke Deniz is charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree theft and 3 counts of second-degree criminal property damage in connection with the three cases for which he is connected.

His bail was set at $25,000 and his initial court appearance was Oct. 9 in Kona District Court, where his bail was reduced to $5,000 and he was ordered to appear at 3 p.m. Oct. 11 for a preliminary hearing in Kona District Court.

Deniz, who appeared remotely from inside the Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center, waived his preliminary hearing Oct. 11. His case was committed to Kona Circuit Court as part of an agreement with prosecutors, according to court documents.

He was also granted supervised release as part of that deal.

Deniz’s next court appearance is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Oct. 22 in Kona Circuit Court.

Hawai‘i Police Department Kona patrol officers responded shortly before 11:30 a.m. Oct. 7 to a report of a broken glass front door at a retail business in the 75-5600 block of Palani Road in Kailua-Kona.

Glass was scattered all over the ground and a large rock was observed inside the business.

Officers spoke with a witness who saw a young local man shatter the glass front door with a rock, enter the store and steal an orange/red electric bike.

The witness added a younger Hawaiian woman entered the store seconds later and stole a gray/blue electric bike.

The man and woman were then seen leaving the area in opposite directions.

A second witness near the scene corroborated the first witness’ information.

Officers contaced the business owners, who came to the store and confirmed two $3,000 Yamaha electric bikes were stolen.

Deniz was arrested in connection with the electric bike theft after police located him a short time later near Ka‘eka and Manawalea streets. Officers recognized him upon reviewing video surveillance from the business.

However, he was not in possession of the bike at the time of his arrest.

The unknown woman was also observed on video surveillance entering the business, stealing an electric bike and leaving the scene on a bike.

Detectives with the Hawai‘i Police Department Area II Criminal Investigation Section, working in collaboration with Kona patrol officers, continued their investigation and were able to link Deniz to two other unrelated criminal property damage incidents that also happened Oct. 7 at separate financial institutions in the Kona area.

Deniz was observed on video surveillance in one of the incidents using a rock to break a glass front door and a drive-up automated teller machine, causing $4,000 in damages.

The investigation into the woman suspect continues.

She is 5-foot-6, 130 pounds, local, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a light-colored top and dark-colored yoga pants. She also has a tattoo on her left ankle.

Anyone with information relative this investigation is encouraged to call the Hawai’i Police Department non-emergency line at 808-935-3311.

They can also contact Detective Len Hamakado at 808-326-4646, extension 224, or len.hamakado@hawaiicounty.gov.

Those who want to remain anonymous can call the islandwide Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.