MEDIA RELEASE

Big Island police are investigating the theft of large solar panels from a Federal Aviation Administration navigation facility in Puna.

The facility is located on Highway 130 just past the 7-mile marker in the vicinity of Makuʻu Farm Lots. It is one of several in Hawaiʻi that send signals to commercial airlines flying in the Pacific Region.

Sometime between September 13 and September 17, unknown persons stole 12 panels and damaged two.

Between September 18 and September 22, the thieves used a vehicle to ram the front gate and remove 10 additional panels.

Police ask that anyone with information about these cases call Officer Matthew Bartz at 965-2716 or the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311.

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.