Hawaii County police have charged an 18-year-old Hilo man with offenses stemming from a burglary in Hilo last week.

On Saturday, acting on a tip, police located and arrested Darren K. Ornellas without incident in the North Kohala District. He was transported to the Hilo police cellblock while detectives continued the investigation.

At 9:30 a.m. Monday, after conferring with prosecutors, detectives charged Ornellas with first-degree burglary and second-degree theft. His bail was set at $7000.

He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

At about 2:30 p.m. Friday, police responded to a burglary in progress at a home on 23rd Avenue in Hawaiian Paradise Park. A 62-year-old Keaau man reported seeing a suspicious male walk up to the front door of his neighbor’s house and then to the rear of the residence, where he discovered signs of a break in.

The neighbor confronted the suspect as he was seen running from the house and towards another house, where he subsequently ran into the bushes.

Police learned that cash and electronic devices were stolen from the residence.

Detectives continue to pursue leads in similar burglaries both in the Hilo and Puna communities.

Police ask that anyone with information on other burglaries to call Detective Royce Serrao of the Area I Criminal Investigations Section at 961-2272 or email him at rpserrao@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide number for Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 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.