A 35-year-old Honokaa man is in police custody in connection with a theft from a tourist’s rental car.
A 35-year-old Honokaa man is in police custody in connection with a theft from a tourist’s rental car.
Just after 1 p.m. Monday, a 58-year-old visitor from Henryville, Ind., reported that as he was returning to his unlocked rental car parked near a shopping center in Honokaa, he saw a man leaning in through the passenger door, removing cash from the console and fleeing on foot.
About 15 minutes later, officers arrested Jovin Baba Batalona and took him to the Hilo police cellblock.
Batalona was charged on Tuesday afternoon with unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle and third-degree theft. His bail was set at $11,000. He remains at the cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Wednesday.