Police investigate thefts from vehicles at two Big Island beaches

Several thefts from vehicles were reported this week at two separate Big Island beaches and police are investigating.

At 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, officers with the Hawai‘i Police Department’s Kona Patrol responded to the parking lot of Kīholo Bay for a reported car break-in. Upon their arrival, the officers determined a rental vehicle was parked and unattended when it was broken into and numerous personal items, including expensive electronics, were removed. The items belonged to people visiting from out of state.

At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, officers with the police department’s South Kohala Patrol met with two visitors from Canada who wanted to report a theft that happened at about 6:10 p.m. in the area of Kua Bay. A 31-year-old female reported that while she sat in her rental vehicle, a male wearing a face covering approached and demanded she exit the vehicle. The woman did not comply and the male brandished a firearm before removing from the vehicle a cellphone belonging to the woman’s husband, who was not in the vehicle at the time. The male suspect then fled the area in a vehicle. The victim was not injured during the incident

It is thought the suspect(s) in both incidents used a white older-model Toyota extra cab pickup truck with no tailgate. The license plate number of the truck is unknown.

Anyone with information about these incidents or who might have witnessed them is encouraged to contact Hawai‘i Police Department Detective Donovan Kohara at 808-960-3118 or via email at donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov, or call the police department’s non-emergency number at 808-935-3311.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.