Hawaiʻi Police Department
Criminal Investigations Section, Area II
Lieutenant Gerald Wike
Phone: 326-4646, Ext. 266
Report No. C13003146
Heather Hofferbert
Joshua Lawrence
Ronnie Gates
Heather Hofferbert
Joshua Lawrence
Ronnie Gates
Media Release (update: adds bail amount in last paragraph)
Three Ocean View residents have been charged with burglary and other offenses in connection with a break-in at a business establishment in Kaʻū earlier this month.
On February 4, Kaʻū officers responded to a burglary at an electronics store on Prince Kuhio Boulevard in Ocean View.
Detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation, which led to a search warrant at a home on Jasmine Drive in the Hawaiian Ranchos Estates subdivision on Friday (February 15). During the execution of the search warrant, police arrested 24-year-old Joshua Lawrence, 26-year-old Heather Hofferbert and 42-year-old Ronnie Gates on suspicion of burglary. All three were taken to the Kona police cellblock while detectives continued the investigation.
Police later recovered several items that had been taken in the burglary and had been damaged.
On Saturday (February 16) at 6:40 p.m., all three suspects were charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree theft and second-degree criminal property damage. Their bail was set at $6,000 each. They remained at the cellblock until their initial court appearance on Tuesday (February 19).