Waikōloa restaurant employee assaulted during weekend robbery, police say

Hawai‘i Island police are seeking a suspect who assaulted an employee at a Waikōloa restaurant during a robbery at the establishment Friday night.

South Kohala patrol officers responded to the establishment, located on the 69-0000 block of Ku‘uali‘i Place, at 10:55 p.m. The 44-year-old male employee told police he was sitting in his office when he heard the door open and a male voice demand the money from the safe.

The employee reported being slapped in the face three times and the suspect left the business with an undisclosed amount of cash from the safe.

Shortly after the robbery, a witness reported seeing a pickup truck, unknown make/model, leaving the area and heading north.

The suspect is described as a local male, approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall, wearing a gray hoodie, black pants, black shoes and a disposable light blue face mask.

The Area II Criminal Investigation Section is continuing this investigation.

Police ask anyone who may know the identity of the suspect to call the department’s non-emergency number at 808-935-3311, or Detective Cacique Melendez of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section at 808-326-4646, ext. 262 or email Cacique.Melendez@hawaiicounty.gov.