Cemetery, solar farm targeted in break-ins

A white 2005 Chevy Astro van reported stolen from a cemetery Aug. 14 was allegedly taken on a wild ride early Friday through a Barbers Point solar farm, making an exit by barreling through a heavy chain-link and barbed wire fence and winding up crashed in deep sand among telephone poles and cactus.

The individuals then reportedly stole a pickup truck from a nearby business — and barreled through another section of fence to get back into the Kalaeloa Renewable Energy Park, possibly to retrieve a BMW that had gotten stuck on the premises on the way in, people with knowledge of the events said.

“We do have a second-degree burglary case that we’ve opened,” Honolulu Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Yu said Monday, adding, “We’re still following up, so no suspect or arrest at this time.”

A trailer at the 20-acre solar farm, which was completed in late 2013, apparently was broken into, but nothing was stolen, possibly because the intruders got spooked, police and other individuals said.

An official said a lock was broken at the main gate, providing access for the two vehicles. The BMW reportedly drove off the pavement and got stuck on a kiawe stump.

Pete Dilwith, Mililani Memorial Park and Mortuary’s vice president of operations, posted on Stolen Stuff Hawaii on Aug. 15, saying, “Our business was broken into last night. They broke many doors and locks and stole some coolers with drinks and a generator.” An alarm probably scared them off.

But they also stole the 2005 Chevy Astro van, he said. Dilwith posted again Friday, saying, “Thank you guys for keeping your eye out. Our van was recovered this morning at Barbers Point. Total loss. Drove through some fences and destroyed our van.”

Dilwith said by phone Monday that “from my understanding, this is kind of what they do: They steal a vehicle, and then they use that vehicle to do several other crimes.”

“Several” stolen license plates were recovered at the scene, including one on the van, he said. The vehicle’s appearance also was altered.

Dilwith said he doesn’t understand the break-in at the Waipio cemetery. “Who going to break into one cemetery?” he asked. But he does understand the solar farm entry.

“The police there were saying plenty people are breaking into solar farms and stealing the panels,” he said. “The panels are kind of a hot commodity right now.”

The $31 million solar farm is one tenant on 538 acres transferred to Hunt Cos. by the Navy as part of a Ford Island master development agreement.

“There was a car that crashed through the fence, though the damage looks pretty superficial. The solar farm I believe was not damaged,” Steve Colon, president of development for Hunt’s Hawaii region, said in a brief emailed statement.

At least 10 HPD and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam patrol cars responded to the early Friday incident, according to reports.

An investigation is ongoing, Yu said. Anyone with information should call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or the Kapolei station at 723-8400, she said.

The 5-megawatt solar farm utilizes 21,000 photovoltaic panels to generate power equivalent to the needs of 1,000 homes over a year, according to Hunt.

The project development and finance group consisted of Hanwha Q Cells USA, Hunt Cos., Scatec Solar North America and Swinerton Renewable Energy.