Hawaii Island police investigating a reported robbery in North Kona are asking for the public’s help identifying two suspects.
At 2:20 a.m. on June 27, Kona Patrol officers responded to a reported robbery near the intersection of Highway 190 and Loloa Drive in Kalaoa. The victim, a 27-year-old Kailua-Kona man, had been hitchhiking at the intersection of Palani Road and Henry Street in Kailua-Kona when two men in a dark Jeep Cherokee picked him up, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Near the intersection of Highway 190 and Loloa Drive, the Jeep pulled off the road onto an access road to the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply’s pump station. The driver then reportedly exited the vehicle, went to the rear passenger door armed with a knife and robbed the victim of an undisclosed amount of cash, according to police.
While the 27-year-old was walking away from the Jeep, the driver attacked him, causing a stab wound to his right arm and a laceration to his chest, according to police. The victim was able to flee the area and call 911. He was taken to Kona Community Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Following the man’s lengthy recovery, detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section were able to work with the department’s forensic artist to produce composite sketches of the suspects.
The driver was described as a “local”, 6-feet tall, weighing 200 pounds and in his early 30s. The passenger, who was only seen from the rear, was described as a heavy-set “local” man with long hair in a pony tail that had several dark bands, according to police.
Police ask anyone with information about this case or the suspects’ identities to call the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Levon Stevens at 326-4646, ext. 275, or lstevens@co.hawaii.hi.us.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 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. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.