Reward offered for papaya vandals

Hawaii County and agricultural industry groups said Tuesday they have established a $30,000 reward for information on the destruction of 10 acres of papaya trees in three adjoining farms in the Kapoho area in July.

The reward is jointly funded by the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, the Hawaii Papaya Industry Association and the mayor’s office.

The trees appeared to have been chopped down with a machete sometime between July 18 and 19. Adjacent papaya fields were left undamaged.

The fields are along Alohilani Street, about one mile north from where it intersects Route 132 near the 6-mile marker.

Delan Perry, spokesman for the Hawaii Papaya Association, said the loss to the three farmers totaled as much as $5,500.

Hawaii County police Lt. Greg Esteban said officials estimated that the vandals cut down 6,000 trees.

Perry said two of the farmers decided to replant, but that it will take at least a year before their new trees bear fruit.

Although there have been no breaks in the case, Perry said, "This is a good opportunity to remind people that this case hasn’t been solved and it’s a serious problem.

"Someone knows what happened."

The farms are near the area where police said 8,500 trees were destroyed a year earlier.

Laureto Julian, 65, who lost thousands of papaya trees on June 29, 2010, said at the time he believed up to five people caused the damage.

He said his crop output was cut by about two-thirds, and he was forced to lay off workers.

Esteban said police have "exhausted all leads" in both investigations.

"That is why we are again asking for the public’s help," he said. "We are hopeful that someone will come forward with information."

Police say they have not ruled out the possibility that either rival papaya farmers or critics of farmers growing genetically modified papayas were responsible for either of the crimes.

Police ask anyone with information to call detective Brandon Konanui at 961-2340 or the police nonemergency line at 935-3311.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. CrimeStoppers does not record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All information is kept confidential.

Anyone with information that this crime might have been an act by an organized group should call the Police Department’s Kuleana Hotline at 961-2219.