Puna Men Arrested, Charged in Seaview Estates Burglary

Charges for burglary and other offenses have been issued to two Puna men for their involvement in a burglary reported to the Hawai’i Police Department by concerned citizens as it was happening.

On Wednesday at about 6:29 a.m., officers responded to a report of an active burglary on Moanauli Loop in the Seaview Estates subdivision.

During their response, officers noticed a sports-utility vehicle pulling a trailer loaded with appliances and conducted a traffic stop.

Officers arrested the driver of the vehicle, Gulliver Brown, 41,  on outstanding bench warrants and charged him with two counts of contempt of court.

Twenty-nine-year-old James Lancaster of Pahoa, the passenger of the vehicle, was also arrested on outstanding bench warrants and charged with contempt of court and violating terms of release on bail.

The pair were taken to the Hilo police cellblock.

HPD determined through an investigation that the appliances in the trailer belonged to a 69-year-old man whose home had been broken into.

Brown was charged at 10:15 a.m. on Thursday with first-degree burglary, second-degree theft, driving without a license, driving without insurance, and fraudulent use of license plates. His bail was set at $21,500.

Lancaster was charged with first-degree burglary and second-degree theft. His bail was set at $20,000.

Brown and Lancaster both remained in custody, pending their initial court appearance Friday.