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Onomea Robbery Attempt 03/26/99

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
SOUTH HILO PATROL DIVISION
LIEUTENANT CHADWICK FUKUI
PHONE: 961-2311
MARCH 26, 1999
F-89653

MEDIA RELEASE

A visitor from Germany successfully fought off a would-be robber Friday (March 26, 1999) along the Onomea Scenic Route in South Hilo.

Responding to a 4:15 p.m. call, Hilo patrol officers determined that the victim, a 51-year-old man from Berlin, Germany, had stopped and got out of his rented car to take photographs of the scenery when he noticed a young man trying to steal his backpack from the car.

The suspect attempted to flee the scene with the backpack, but the victim grabbed it. The suspect punched and kicked the victim. The suspect then left the area without the backpack in a blue four-wheel drive vehicle, possibly a Jeep.

The suspect was described as possibly a Caucasian in his late teens or early twenties, being about 5-feet-10 in height, weighing about 120 pounds with a slim build and having brown hair and a fair complexion. He was described only as wearing a multi-colored shirt.

The suspect’s vehicle, which had two other passengers, left the area heading in unknown direction.

The victim sustained minor injuries but did not require medical attention.

Anyone with information about incident or the suspect is asked to call police at 935-3311.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. The numbers are answered 24 hours a day. Callers will be given a coded number and their identity will remain anonymous. Callers may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 if their call leads to an arrest, indictment or the recovery of property. Crime Stoppers neither subscribes to Caller ID, nor does it record phone calls.

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