Two facing charges for string of Ka‘u property crimes
Hawaii Island police have arrested and charged a man and woman suspected in several property crimes recently in the Ocean View area.
Ka‘u patrol officers responded to the first incident early June 6 after a report came in of several windows damaged at two separate businesses on the 92-8600 block of Lotus Blossom Lane in Ocean View, according to the Hawaii Police Department. Upon their arrival, the officers determined the windows had been damaged after an object was thrown at them.
In the course of investigation, police determined that two more businesses, located on the 92-8700 block of Mamalahoa Highway, had also sustained damage to windows after being struck with an object.
Upon reviewing video surveillance footage from several area businesses, police identified two suspects: 28-year-old Daeja Elizabeth Taetuna, of Kailua-Kona, and 33-year-old Peterson Balos of Ocean View.
At 4:42 p.m. June 6, Taetuna was taken into custody in the area of Manuka State Park. She was charged the following day with four counts fourth-degree criminal property damage. Her bail was set at $2,000.
Police determined that the second suspect, Balos, was also involved in two burglaries at a business located on the 92-8600 block of Lotus Blossom Lane in Ocean View.
The first burglary occurred in the early June 11 and the second took place early June 13. During the course of investigating the burglaries, it was determined that video surveillance footage showed a man, later identified as Balos, entering into the business and removing items on two separate occasions while the business was closed.
At 10:35 a.m. on Monday, Balos was apprehended in the Ocean View area. He was later charged with with two counts second-degree burglary. His bail was set at $4,000.
Anyone with information on these investigations should contact Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 326-4646, ext. 267, or via email at donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov, or call the department’s nonemergency line at (808) 935-3311.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
