Hawaiʻi Police Department
Criminal Investigations Section, Area I
Lieutenant Gregory Esteban
Phone: 961-2252
Kawa Salas
Media Release
A Puna man has been charged with robbery in connection with a confrontation last week at a beach in Hilo.
On Thursday morning (September 8), three men approached a 59-year-old Mountain View man at Kuhio Beach. While one man held the victim down, the other two removed his ukulele, cell phone and wallet. The three then fled on bicycles.
A short time later, police located one of the suspects, 28-year-old Kawa Salas of Glenwood, who was hiding in bushes not far away. He was arrested and taken to the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation.
At 10:45 p.m. Friday, Salas was charged with second-degree robbery. His bail was set at $5,000.
Detectives are still investigating the identities of the other two men. Police ask anyone with information about this case to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Robert Almeida at 961-2386.