MEDIA RELEASE

Keoni K. Kaopio

Hawai’i Police Department detectives have charged a 20-year-old Hilo man with robbery and felony theft for separate incidents in Hilo on July 3 and July 12.

Keoni K. Kaopio was charged with one count of robbery and one count of second-degree theft. He is being held at the Hilo Police cellblock in lieu of $7,000 bail.

In the July 12 theft case, Kaopio is accused of removing a 69-year-old man’s wallet from his person while both men were near Hilo Union School. Kaopio then fled on foot toward Hilo town.

In the July 3 robbery case, Kaopio is accused of approaching a 29-year-old man in the area of the bayfront soccer fields, swearing at him and calling him a name, and then punching and kicking him about the head and body before taking his wallet.

Kaopio was arrested Monday morning (July 13) and charged with both offenses later the same day.