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Man arrested after Kona shoplifting incident 01-02-13

Hawaiʻi Police Department
Criminal Investigations Section, Area I
Lieutenant Gerald Wike
Phone: 326-4646, Ext. 266
Report No. C13033101

 

Media Release

A Kona man has been charged with several offenses following a shoplifting incident in Kona on Monday (December 30).

Shortly before 3 p.m. Monday, Kona patrol officers responded to report of a shoplifting at a store on the 74-5000 block of Kamakaeha Avenue in Kailua-Kona. Two men who appeared to be together had reportedly stolen items from the store. One exited through a rear door with the stolen items and fled on foot into the brush. Another exited through a front door and got into a black Honda Civic.

Responding officers attempted to stop the car in the parking lot but the driver refused to stop. Police followed the car to the intersection of Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway and Kealakehe Parkway, where the driver exited the Honda and ran away. Following a short foot pursuit, officers arrested 23-year-old Jesse Travis Ralston of Kailua-Kona.

Police determined that the car had fraudulent license plates and had been reported stolen from a home in Kailua View Estates between December 10 and December 11. Additionally, Ralston was in possession of crystal methamphetamine. He was taken to the Kona police cellblock while detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section and Area II Vice Section continued the investigation. Detectives executed a search warrant on bags inside the car and found additional crystal meth inside, along with drug paraphernalia.

At 8 p.m. Tuesday (December 31), Ralston was charged with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, failure to obey a police officer, reckless driving, resisting arrest, fraudulent use of a license plate, possessing drug paraphernalia, two counts of promoting a dangerous drug and three counts of violating terms of probation. His bail was set at $119,000. He remained in the cellblock pending his initial court appearance Thursday (January 2).

The other suspect was not located.