Hilo man charged for burglary, theft

Hawaii Island police have charged an 18-year-old Hilo man with offenses stemming from a burglary that occurred in Hilo last week.

On Saturday while acting on a tip, police located and arrested Darren K. Ornellas without incident in the North Kohala District, according to the Hawaii Police Department. He was transported to the Hilo police cellblock while detectives continued the investigation.

At 9:30 a.m. Monday, detectives charged Ornellas with first-degree burglary and second-degree theft. His bail was set at $7,000, according to polie. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

About 2:30 p.m. Thursday, police responded to an in-progress burglary at a home on 23rd Avenue in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision of Puna. A 62-year-old Keaau man reported seeing a suspicious man alk up to the front door of his neighbor’s home and then to the rear of the residence, where the nieghbor discovered signs of a break in.

The neighbor confronted the man as he was running from the house and toward another residence, where he subsequently ran into the bushes, according to police. Officers later learned that cash and electronic devices were stolen from the residence.

Area I Criminal Investigations Section detectives continue to pursue leads in similar burglaries both in the Hilo and Puna communities. Anyone with information on other burglaries should call Detective Royce Serrao of the Area I Criminal Investigations Section at 961-2272 or email rpserrao@co.hawaii.hi.us.