Hawaiʻi Police Department
Criminal Investigations Section, Area I
Lieutenant Gregory Esteban
Phone: 961-2252
Report No. C13014334
Media Release (update)
Hawaiʻi Island police have arrested a suspect in connection with a robbery Thursday afternoon (May 30) at a credit union in Pepeʻekeo.
Investigation of the 1 p.m. robbery at the Hāmākua Coast Community Federal Credit Union led to the identity of a suspect, 37-year-old Kris R. Villasista of Honomū.
While police were conducting an islandwide search for Villasista, he turned himself in at the Kona police station at 6:05 p.m. Thursday. He was arrested on suspicion of robbery, theft and terroristic threatening. He was then moved to the Hilo police cellblock, where he remains in custody while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section continue the investigation.
Police ask that anyone with any information about this case call Detective Joel Field at 961-2381 or email him at jfield@co.hawaii.hi.us. Callers may also call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona 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.