MEDIA RELEASE

Police are investigating a reported purse snatching that occurred Wednesday in downtown Hilo.

At about 12:50 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the lower Haili Street area after receiving a report from a 64-year-old Keaau woman that as she and another 59-year-old Keaau woman were walking along Haili Street, a local male apparently approached them from behind and removed her purse before fleeing in an alleyway below the Palace Theater.

The suspect was described as a local male in his late 20’s, last seen wearing a white tank-top undershirt, brown shorts, and a pair of slippers.

Neither woman was injured during the incident.

Police ask that anyone with information on this case or may have witnessed the robbery to call Detective Grant Todd at 961-2385 or by email at gtodd@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.