MEDIA RELEASE

Keola Werner-Kealoha

Hawaiʻi Island police have arrested and charged 27-year-old Keola Werner-Kealoha in connection with a burglary of the police substation at the Moʻoheau Bus Terminal in Downtown Hilo.

At 7:26 a.m., Thursday morning, (June 7), police were notified that a bicycle was found in the waters off of Bayfront Highway. Responding officers learned that the bicycle was one of two that are used by the South Hilo Community Policing Section and kept at the substation.

Investigators determined the burglary occurred sometime around 11:40 p.m., Wednesday evening, (June 6), after the suspects forced open the front door to the substation and removed two police bicycles, valued at $1,200 each.

Just after 10 p.m., Thursday evening, police located Keola Werner-Kealoha in Hilo and arrested him without incident for his outstanding warrants and suspicion of second-degree theft. He was taken to the Hilo cellblock while investigators with the South Hilo Community Policing and Area I Criminal Investigation Sections continued the investigation.

Police served a search warrant on a backpack in Werner-Kealoha’s possession at the time of his arrest and recovered supplies and equipment were taken

from the substation. A witness located the second bicycle that police later recovered from the area of the canoe sheds on Bayfront beach.

On Saturday evening, (June 9), police charged Werner-Kealoha with one count each of first-degree theft, second-degree theft, second-degree burglary and burglary of a building during an emergency period. He is currently being held at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center in lieu of $42,000 bail and is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon, (June 12), in District Court.

Police would also like to thank the public for their calls leading to the recovery of the bicycles.

Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Detective Bobbie-Jo Sagon of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2375 or Bobbie-Jo.Sagon@hawaiicounty.gov.