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Surveillance video of the Keauhou Store robbery
MEDIA RELEASE
Big Island police have arrested a second suspect in connection with a robbery January 12 at Keauhou Store in HÅlualoa. The suspect, 22-year-old James Kekai Hao of Kailua-Kona, was also arrested for a robbery January 5 at the Kaloko Business Center V in Kailua-Kona.
Surveillance images from both robberies led to tips from the public about the suspect’s identity.
On Thursday afternoon (January 19), police located Hao outside an apartment complex on Lunapule Road in Kailua-Kona. When officers attempted to contact him, he fled on foot. Police conducted a search and found him about 45 minutes later hiding in bushes several hundred yards away from the apartment complex.
Hao was arrested at 1:45 p.m. on suspicion of two counts of first-degree robbery. He is being held at the Kona police cellblock while detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section continue the investigation.
Lieutenant Gerald Wike said the community was instrumental in helping detectives solve these two cases. “We really appreciate the media for publicizing the surveillance images and the public for helping us identify the person depicted,” Wike said. “Their assistance was invaluable.”