A 33-year-old Kailua-Kona man accused of being a serial car thief apparently targeted mostly rental vehicles, according to court documents filed by police.
Shortly before his arrest on June 7 at a Kealakehe subdivision home he allegedly entered without permission, Nakalohe J. Gersaba had been spotted by officers driving a stolen black 2020 Jeep Wrangler used as a rental by Black Rock Auto Sales, police said.
The Jeep, valued at about $45,000, had a GPS tracking device police used to locate and apprehend him. The Jeep had been reported stolen earlier in the day from an address on Lanakoi Place, according to the documents.
Gersaba — who apparently knew police were following him — allegedly was smoking methamphetamine in the bedroom of the Palani Road residence when taken into custody. Police say Gersaba resisted arrest, requiring three officers to place him in handcuffs.
A glass smoking pipe and a packet containing approximately 2 grams of methamphetamine allegedly were found with Gersaba.
At the time of his arrest, Gersaba was wanted by police as a suspect in at least seven vehicle theft investigations in Kona during the past week.
Other cars allegedly stolen by Gersaba include a black Nissan Altima owned by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, reportedly taken from in front of a Nani Kailua Drive home on June 3; a white Chevy pickup allegedly stolen on June 4 in front of the owner’s home on Kapuahi Street; a blue Scion owned by Kokua Transport and recovered on June 6 while parked unattended on Hao Kuni Street; a privately owned red Suzuki Grand Vitara allegedly taken by Gersaba on June 6 on Kealapua Street after the Scion was abandoned; a black 2023 Nissan Rogue reported stolen June 3 from the Budget Car Rental lot on Aulepe Street; and a silver Nissan Altima registered to SIXT Rent-a-Car and reported stolen June 4 by the vacationing renter from Kahauloa Road.
Documents state that Gersaba admitted to stealing the vehicles.
He’s charged with six counts each of first-degree theft and unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle, two counts of reckless driving, unauthorized entry to a dwelling, resisting arrest, terroristic threatening, methamphetamine possession, resisting an order to stop and driving without a license.
The most serious offenses, first-degree theft, are Class B felonies punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.
At Gersaba’s initial court appearance Monday, Deputy Public Defender David Saiki requested either supervised release — a form of cashless bail — or a bail reduction for his client. Deputy Prosecutor Matthew Woodward requested that Gersaba’s bail be maintained at its original $545,000.
Kona District Judge Kimberly Tsuchiya reduced Gersaba’s bail to $125,000 and ordered him to return to court today for a preliminary hearing.
Gersaba remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.