MEDIA RELEASE

Hawaii Police have arrested and charged a 22-year-old Puna man in connection with a burglary and criminal property damage to Alii Ice on Banyan Drive in Hilo.

Clinton Ronald Souza of Volcano was charged on Thursday night with Burglary, Burglary during a civil defense emergency, five counts of Unauthorized Entry into a Motor Vehicle, two counts of Criminal Property Damage and Theft. He is currently being held at the East Hawaii Detention Facility in lieu of $152,000.00 bail

South Hilo Patrol officers responded to a 7:43 a.m. call of a Burglary and several Unauthorized Entry into a Motor Vehicle reports on Wednesday August 13th. The call was to an ice business on Banyan Drive in Hilo. Officers discovered a business had been entered and several vehicles broken into and damaged.

The suspect broke the office door to the business, gained entry and removed some business information. The suspect then entered a secured parking area and damaged four vehicles; he broke several windows, an ignition system and damaged the engine of one of the vehicles.

Officers previously responded to an unrelated Unauthorized Entry into a Motor Vehicle report at about 2:30 am that same morning on Banyan Drive. In that case a Clinton Souza was located in the area and arrested.

An investigation by detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigations Section revealed that Souza was also responsible for the break in and damage that was reported at 7:43 am to Alii Ice. The Hawaii County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney was contacted and Souza was subsequently charged.

Hawaii Police Chief Harry Kubojiri said “The Hawaii Police Department is committed to investigate all reported criminal activity affecting storm victims and to identify and arrest the responsible persons.”