A 52-year-old Kailua-Kona man is facing property damage, theft and drug charges after officers reportedly spotted him damaging and removing items along Kuakini Highway in Kailua-Kona.
Around 2:20 a.m. April 30, Hawaii Police Department Kona Patrol officers conducting area checks at the 76-6000 block of Kuakini Highway in Kailua-Kona came across a man dressed in dark-colored clothing on a property damaging and removing items.
Upon seeing the officers, the man, later identified as Paul Ebel, immediately ran away on foot. Officers gave pursuit but lost him in the heavy brush, according to the department. Shortly thereafter, officers located a vehicle parked on Lako Street with its trunk partially open. Inside the trunk was two 5-gallon gas containers.
Ebel was located in the Lako Street area and taken into custody. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, the gasoline tanks, funnel, hoses, dark-colored clothing and various tools commonly used for theft (bolt cutter, crowbar, and gloves) were located. Police reportedly also located an immeasurable amount of a crystal-like substance within a glass smoking pipe and a sandwich-sized zip lock baggie containing a crystal-like residue, weighing 2.6 grams, both of which tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine.
Ebel was arrested for criminal property damage, theft, attempted theft, promoting a dangerous drug and violating Gov. David Ige’s stay-at-home emergency order. Bail was set at $37,000 pending an initial court appearance.