A 46-year-old Hilo man has been sentenced to five years in prison for a series of car break-ins. A 46-year-old Hilo man has been sentenced to five years in prison for a series of car break-ins. According to a written
A 46-year-old Hilo man has been sentenced to five years in prison for a series of car break-ins.
According to a written release from the county prosecutor’s office, Circuit Judge Glenn Hara on Tuesday rejected a request for probation from Joseph V. Ada, although Ada had no prior felony convictions.
Ada pleaded guilty May 29 to fraudulent use of a credit card, identity theft, six counts of identity theft and 12 counts of unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle. Ada told the judge he didn’t believe he was addicted to methamphetamine, although he admitted using the drug since he was 19.
A downtown Hilo businesswoman chased Ada after he took her purse and other personal items from her car as she parked near her business. Police arrested Ada a couple of weeks later based on her description of the suspect. An investigation found that he was responsible for at least 11 other car break-ins downtown, and that he used stolen credit and debit cards from those break-ins at various businesses around town.
