Hilo saw a recent uptick in property and drug-related crimes with the arrest of a local man, Makua Amituanai, on charges stemming from multiple vehicle break-ins. On the afternoon of July 4, South Hilo patrol officers responded to a call at a hotel parking lot on Banyan Drive after a report of an active vehicle break-in; the owner's car was damaged but nothing taken, while a keen-eyed witness described a barefoot suspect in black shorts fleeing the scene, according to a police statement.
The same suspect was later seen at the same location mere hours later, loitering and checking for unlocked vehicle doors, before being confronted by hotel security after entering and rummaging through an unlocked pickup truck, the security officer told him that the police would be notified and the man fled towards the shoreline behind the hotel. South Hilo patrol officers, diligently canvassing the area shortly after, located Amituanai at the shoreline; they arrested him for unauthorized entry into two motor vehicles, police officials confirmed.
Investigations revealed that Amituanai was also connected to another theft that had occurred the previous day; a backpack in his possession was identified as stolen from another vehicle, with a subsequent search warrant uncovering a victim's laptop and personal identification among the contents. Following a conferral with the County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Amituanai was charged on multiple counts, including three counts of first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, habitual property crime, second-degree theft, third-degree criminal property damage, unauthorized possession of personal confidential information, and third-degree promoting a dangerous drug, authorities stated.
With bail set at $183,000, Amituanai, unable to post it, made his initial court appearance on July 8, police informants suggest that this may indicate a small yet significant uptick in drug-related offenses converging with property crimes within the local area. Community members with any relevant information are urged to contact the police department’s non-emergency line or Detective Jeremy Kubojiri directly, while anonymous tipsters can reach out to Crime Stoppers, which could offer a reward of up to $1,000 for valuable leads, as outlined in an official announcement.
