Two Big Island men indicted on slew of robbery, burglary charges, but not in custody

Frank Carpenter was working a quiet morning at the Kona Boys Surf Shack on Aug. 12 when a neighbor in the area came in and asked that he call 911 because he had been robbed.

Carpenter said the neighbor pointed out the suspects as they were leaving the area and was able to describe to police the vehicle they were in and provide the license plate number.

Since reporting of the incident, indictments against Teddy Dale Pohailani Patterson and Robert Gettle were filed in 3rd Circuit Court in Kona on Aug. 26 and Aug. 27.

As of Thursday afternoon, the suspects were not in custody, Hawai‘i Island police said.

A bench warrant of $100,000 was issued against Patterson and a $50,000 bench warrant was issued for Gettle.

According to the indictments, Patterson and Gettle burglarized a building sometime between Aug. 10 and 11 in Kealakekua off Māmalahoa Highway. On Aug. 12, court documents indicate the men threatened force against a male victim with a firearm and, at one point, took his phone.

Patterson and Gettle were indicted on the following charges:

• First-degree robbery
• Two counts of first-degree burglary
• Second-degree burglary
• Criminal littering
• First-degree terroristic threatening
• Carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony
• Place to keep pistol or revolver
• Ownership prohibited
• Two counts of second-degree theft
• Third-degree theft
• Interference with reporting an emergency or crime
• Unauthorized possession of confidential personal information
• Third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug

“I can’t believe it happened in the middle of the morning, taking advantage of an old man,” Carpenter said.