Hawai‘i Island police arrested and charged two Hilo men as a result of an agricultural theft investigation in Pāpa‘ikou.   

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on Sunday, June 26, 2022, on a farm in the Pāpa‘ikou area in which a witness reported observing a suspicious male carrying multiple bags of fruit and loading the bags into a vehicle that subsequently left the area.

Police responding to a 9:00 a.m. report of the theft, police determined that approximately $260 of mangosteen fruit had been removed from a neighboring farm without permission.

In the course of their investigation, officers with Hilo Patrol and the Hilo Community Policing Section were able to identify and locate two suspects later that same day who were subsequently arrested without incident at a Pāpa‘ikou residence.

On Monday, June 27, after conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office, police charged 32-year-old Jan Loren Aguinaldo, of Hilo, with theft in the second degree and 34-year-old Levin Padilla-Pelanca, of Hilo, with theft in the second degree and promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree. Aguinaldo‘s bail was set at $5,000. Padilla-Pelanca’s total bail was set at $4,000.

Both men are slated to appear for their initial court appearance on Tuesday, June 28.

Hawai‘i Police Department would like to remind the public that the theft of agricultural products either with a value that exceeds $100 or agricultural products that weigh more than 25 pounds is a felony offense punishable by up to five years imprisonment.

Police would also like to remind agricultural vendors that a certificate of ownership and movement is required whenever purchasing large amounts of agricultural products which shall include the following information:

• The seller’s name, residence address, telephone number, and the license plate number of any vehicle used by the seller to deliver the commodity to the place of purchase;
• The name of the farm owner and address of origin;
• The name of the buyer or consignee, and destination; and
• The signature of the seller and, upon sale, the signature of the buyer or consignee.

No prospective buyer or consignee shall purchase an agricultural commodity from a seller if the seller does not provide a copy of the ownership and movement certification and verification whenever required and shall report the attempted sale to the police.

“Vendors who purchase produce without verifying a grower’s certificate are not only being irresponsible by creating a market for stolen fruit, they are also committing the act of theft by receiving stolen property,” says Officer Christopher Fukumoto of the Hilo Community Policing Section.

Hawaii Police Department and the County Prosecutor’s Office remain committed to investigating and prosecuting both the individuals who steal agricultural products and the vendors who purchase stolen agricultural products for resale.

Police encourage the public to report all suspected agricultural theft incidents by calling the police department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe.