Couple Arrested, Charged in Multiple Auto Thefts

A couple wanted for involvement in several auto thefts has been identified and arrested.

The Hawai’i Police Department released a photo on Aug. 5 of a woman operating a 1985 Nissian pickup truck a day earlier, which was stolen in July from a shopping center on Puainako Street in Hilo.

According to police ,the photo was taken shortly after a 2001 Toyota Tacoma pickup struck was stolen from the Bayfront area of Hilo. Police learned the identity of the woman, 29-year-old Marilee Morrison of Kurtistown, through help from the public.

Morrison, along with 32-year-old Kamalu Keawe also of Kurtistown, were arrested on Aug. 24 in Mountain View after exiting a 2005 Dodge Ram pickup truck that was stolen from a business on Maka’ala Street early in the day on Aug. 21.

HPD determined that Keawe was the driver of the Dodge.

Further investigation led Police to determine that Morrison has used the stolen Nissan to drive Keawe to the Bayfront area to steal the Toyota Tacoma on Aug. 4.

Morrison was charged with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and being an accomplice to second-degree theft. Her bail was set at $4,000.

Keawe was charged with three counts of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle. His bail was set at $30,000.