Hilo Property Crime Investigation Yields 2 Arrests

A man and a woman were taken into custody in connection to a slew of property crimes that occurred in Hilo last week.

Shane Johnson, 28, was charged with various theft and habitual property crime offenses in connection to several business and vehicle break-ins that occurred during the time frame of Oct. 5-10 in the vicinity of Holomua and Maka‘ala Streets.

Megan Crutcher, 24, was also taken into custody as she was seen near one of the break-ins. While she was not charged in connection to the break-ins, police took her into custody as she had an outstanding warrant. She is considered a person of interest in the thefts.

During the course of their investigation, police identified a man and sport utility vehicle involved in the thefts through a recorded video, according to a press release from Hawai‘i County Police.

Officers were able to find and identify the vehicle and make a traffic stop. According to the release, they found drugs in the vehicle during the stop and arrested Johnson, who was driving the SUV.

Police executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found in addition to drugs, items stolen from one of the businesses.

Johnson has been charged with drug possession, theft, trespassing, habitual property crime, and several traffic criminal offenses. His bail was set at $24,000, however it was reduced to $12,000 during his initial appearance in District Court on Oct. 14.

Police discovered Crutcher had been found operating the same SUV during a break-in on the 300 block of Waiakea Center. The 24-year-old was taken into custody on an outstanding bench warrant.

Though not charged with the break-ins, Crutcher is a person of interest, and police are asking for the public’s help with information on the couple.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Johnson today.

Police are asking that anyone with information on this couple related to the business and vehicle break-ins or if this couple was seen in the parking lot of the Waiakea Center to call Officer Bryson Pilor of South Hilo Patrol at 808)-935-3311.