Man taken into custody following robbery at auto parts store in Hilo

A man from Mountain View was taken into custody following a violent robbery at an auto parts store in Hilo.

The Hawai‘i Island police were called to the store, located within a retail center on the 2100 block of Kanoelehua Avenue, at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. According to police, an employee reported that a man entered the store, selected several items, and placed them into his backpack, then attempted to leave without paying for the merchandise.

As the suspect was attempting to leave the store, an employee confronted him, at which point the suspect brandished a knife, verbally threatening and injuring the employee, before exiting the store.

Responding officers contacted the 33-year-old store employee, who had a minor cut to his wrist, however, he declined medical treatment. The suspect also reportedly verbally threatened two additional store employees.

When the suspect, later identified as 34-year-old Raul Jaramillo La‘a, left the store with the unpaid merchandise, he was seen entering a parked vehicle within the parking lot. Officers were provided a description of the vehicle and La‘a.

While officers did locate the vehicle, La‘a had left the area.

Patrol officers and members of the Area I Crime Reduction Unit made extensive area checks and located a man matching the description of La‘a, at a nearby gas station/convenience store on Kekela Street.

After being positively identified, La‘a was taken into custody on suspicion of first-degree robbery.

At the time of his arrest, La‘a had a backpack, which was recovered as evidence pending the issuance of a search warrant.

La‘a was transported to the East Hawai‘i Detention Facility pending investigation.

Police ask anyone who may have witnessed this incident to call the Area I Crime Reduction Unit at 808-961-8222, or the department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311.