Hawai’i Island police have arrested and charged a 15-year-old male juvenile, from Hilo, with burglary and other property offenses following two incidents which occurred at two different school campuses in Hilo, on July 17, 2024.
On Thursday afternoon, July 18, 2024, a family member of the juvenile turned him in at the Hilo Police Station after identifying him from video surveillance footage which had been posted on social media.
On Thursday evening, July 18, 2024, at 7:15 p.m., after conferring with the Hawai’i County Prosecutors office, Area I Juvenile Aid Section detectives charged the juvenile with the following offenses:
- Second-degree burglary
- Second-degree criminal property damage
- Fourth-degree criminal property damage
- Two counts of fourth-degree theft
The charges stem from two incidents that occurred early Wednesday morning, July 17, 2024, at Waiakea Elementary School and Waiakea Intermediate School on Puainako Street, in Hilo. Two individuals were observed on video surveillance breaking a glass window and entering into the Administration office at Waiakea Elementary School. The two individuals removed several items from within the office and caused damage when they sprayed the contents of two fire extinguishers, later determined to have been stolen from a shed secured within a fenced play court on the Waiakea Intermediate School campus.
The juvenile was remanded to the custody of the State, and placed at the Family Intervention Services home in Hilo. The investigation is being routed to the Hawai’i County Prosecutors office and Family Court.
Anyone with information of the identity of the second culprit is encouraged to call Detective Kelsey Kobayashi of the Area I Juvenile Aid Section at (808) 961-8883, or at email address kelsey.kobayashi@hawaiicounty.gov.
