Hilo man faces charges after reportedly stealing rental car from East Hawai‘i hotel

A Hilo man is facing various charges after reportedly stealing a rental vehicle that left a visiting family from Japan without transportation.

The incident occurred on Thursday evening after it was a reported a family’s rental vehicle was stolen while they were checking into their hotel on Banyan Drive. Hawai‘i police responded to the scene and determined the victims pulled up fronting the hotel and began unloading their luggage, when they were approached by a male who told them he would park their vehicle.

The family believed the man, later identified as 22-year-old Shaycen Roily Sabino, was a hotel employee; however, it was later determined the hotel does not have a valet service and their vehicle had been stolen.

Sabino was identified as a suspect when he was later observed operating the vehicle. He was located in the Banyan Drive area on Saturday morning and arrested after a short foot pursuit with officers.

Sabino was charged with unauthorized possession of a propelled vehicle, first-degree theft and habitual property crime. He appeared in Hilo District Court today where a judge maintained his bail at $70,000.

He scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.