Hawai‘i Police Department
Criminal Investigation Section – Area II
Acting Lieutenant Carrie Akina
Phone: (808) 326-4646, Ext. 277
Report No.: 23-033453
Media Release
Hawai’i Island police have charged 27-year-old Tieko Tobin of Ocean View with burglary and criminal property damage offenses stemming from three incidents that occurred at several different businesses in Ocean View during the early morning hours of Wednesday morning, April 5, 2023.
At 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Ka‘ū patrol officers responded to a restaurant in the 92-8000 block of Hawai‘i Boulevard in Ocean View for a reported break-in alarm. Upon arrival, officers determined a large rock had been used to shatter the front door and items were stolen from within the eatery. While investigating this burglary, they contacted Tobin who was nearby, however at that point in the investigation he was not yet considered a suspect.
Nearly an hour later at 2:34 a.m., Ka‘ū patrol officers responded to a second alarm at a grocery store in the 92-8000 block of Māmalahoa Highway, less than a half-mile away from the original incident. Officers determined a large rock was used to shatter the front door of this business establishment as well.
While still investigating these incidents, Ka‘ū patrol officers were again dispatched back to the restaurant on Hawai’i Boulevard for another break-in at 5:00 a.m. While conducting area checks, officers observed movement from within a neighboring business and determined Tobin was hiding within the establishment. Following officers’ commands to exit the building, Tobin climbed out of the business via a window with items from within the business. He was then placed under arrest and taken into custody.
In the course of their investigation, detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigation Section identified Tobin as being responsible for all three incidents. On April 5, 2023, Tobin was charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and one count of fourth-degree criminal property damage. His bail was set at $4,500. Tobin remains in police custody at the Kealakehe Police Station pending his initial court appearance on Thursday, April 6, in Kona District Court.
Police are asking anyone who may have information relative to these incidents to contact the police department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.
