Police arrest suspect in auto parts store robbery

Hawaii Island police have arrested a Mountain View man following a violent robbery Tuesday morning at O’Reilly Auto Parts in Hilo.

Arrested on suspicion of first-degree robbery was 34-year-old Raul Jaramillo Laa.

Shortly before 11 a.m., Hilo patrol officers were assigned to a weapons incident at the store in the Puainako Town Center. A store employee reported that a man entered the store, selected several items, placed them into his backpack, then attempted to leave the store without paying.

As the suspect was attempting to leave the store, an employee confronted him, at which point the suspect brandished a knife, verbally threatening and injuring the employee before leaving the store.

The 33-year-old store employee, who had a minor cut on his wrist, declined medical treatment, police said.

According to police, Laa also reportedly verbally threatened two additional store employees.

Laa was arrested a short time later at a nearby gas station/convenience store on Kekela Street. Police took his backpack into evidence, pending the issuance of a search warrant.

Laa was taken to the Hilo police cellblock pending further investigation.

Potential witnesses are asked to call the East Hawaii Crime Reduction Unit at (808) 961-8222 or the department’s nonemergency line at (808) 935-3311.