Two Kailua-Kona residents charged in purse snatching

Linda Chong Tim-Castro, 38, and Gary Paulaau, 35, both of Kailua-Kona, were charged with theft and other offenses in connection with a purse snatching from a restaurant in Waimea on Friday afternoon.

A 64-year-old Paauilo woman reported at 2:30 p.m. Friday that she was in a restaurant located in a shopping center on the 67-1100 block of Mamalahoa Highway when a man grabbed her purse from the table and ran into the parking lot. He hopped in an SUV being driven by a woman.

The victim gave chase, grabbing the SUV’s driver side mirror in an attempt to stop the car from fleeing. She was injured in a fall as the vehicle sped away and was later treated for minor injuries at North Hawaii Community Hospital and released.

Police obtained the license plate information of the SUV from witnesses at the scene. Just before 4 p.m., Kona Patrol officers spotted the vehicle pulling into a store off Highway 190 in Kailua-Kona.

At that point, driver Chong Tim-Castro and passenger Paulaau were arrested. Another passenger, 20-year-old Scott Vasconcellos-Rego of Waimea, was arrested on a bench warrant for violating terms of release on bail.

All three were transported to the Kona cellblock where they remained until their initial court appearances Monday.

On Sunday, charges came down. Chong Tim-Castro was brought up on reckless endangering, theft, theft/forgery of a credit card and unauthorized possession of personal confidential information. Bail was set at $10,500.

Paulaau was charged with theft, theft/forgery of a credit card, unauthorized possession of personal confidential information, promoting a dangerous drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and contempt of court. Bail was set at $50,200.

Vasconcellos-Rego was charged on a no-bail warrant for violating terms of release on bail.