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Puna robbery 03-28-09

Hawai’i Police Department
Puna District
Sergeant Dayne Bolos
Phone: 966-5835
March 28, 2009
Report No. C09009309

Media Release

Hawai’i County police are investigating a robbery reported Saturday afternoon (March 28) in Puna.

At about 3:20 p.m., the victim drove to the Kea’au police station and reported that he had been robbed at gunpoint. The 75-year-old male victim, who is a taxi driver, reported that sometime before 2 p.m., he had been dispatched to pick up a customer who had requested a ride from a bookstore on Maka’ala Street in Hilo to Ihope Road in Mountain View.

The victim further related that while traveling on North Kulani Road, the suspect had reached in his waistband and pulled out and pointed a handgun at the victim, threatening to shoot him if he did not hand over his wallet, cell phone and cash. While still at gunpoint, the victim was told to keep driving and was given instructions to drive to the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision in lower Puna, where the suspect demanded to be dropped off in an area of 14th Avenue.

The victim then drove directly to the Kea’au police station.

The suspect is described as a clean-shaven man in his 30s, approximately 5-foot-7, with a thin build, a fair complexion and short, light hair. He was last seen wearing a T-shirt and long pants.

Police have initiated a felony robbery investigation.

Police ask anyone with information about this case to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-3800 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers calls are kept confidential.