A 35-year-old Keaau man was arrested and charged last week in connection with an alleged armed burglary of a Kurtistown residence.
In the early morning of Oct. 16, a burglary was reported at a residence on Lilikoi Drive in Kurtistown. When officers arrived, a male subject left the building and fled on foot, and was seen discarding a firearm.
Officers apprehended the suspect after a short pursuit and arrested him, identifying him as 35-year-old Kalei Kona Brooks.
The firearm Brooks dropped, it was discovered, had been reported stolen in a separate burglary investigation on Beach Road in Hawaiian Paradise Park in August.
Brooks was charged later that day with burglary, promotion of a dangerous drug, possession of burglary tools, fourth-degree theft and a range of firearm-related offenses, including being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was also charged with committing a burglary during an emergency period.
Brooks’ bail was set at $161,000. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for today.