When officers responded to a residential burglary on Catamaran Lane on Friday, February 12, 2021, at 6:00 p.m., the victim told police that in addition to the items taken from the home, the suspect also stole a pick-up truck that had been stored on the property.
The next day at 3:30 p.m. police received a report of a man seen in the stolen truck, which was parked at a business establishment in Ocean View. Witnesses identified the suspect at the scene.
At 3:44 p.m. police arrested 26-year-old Benjamin Jerin-Kealoha of Ocean View without incident on suspicion of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle. Investigators determined that some of the items taken from the burglary were still within the truck.
Later Saturday evening, police charged Jerin-Kealoha with one count each of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, burglary of a dwelling during an emergency and first-degree theft. His bail was set at $17,000 and was later taken to the Kona cell block pending his initial appearance scheduled for this afternoon, Tuesday, February 16, in Kona District Court. The truck and the recovered stolen items were returned to the victim.
Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Officer Melissa D’Angelo of the Ka‘ū Patrol Division at phone (808) 939-2520.
