Truck break-ins lead to charges

Hawaii County police charged a 27-year-old Kailua-Kona man with multiple offenses Friday stemming from two vehicle break-ins last month.

On Sept. 21, a 33-year-old woman and her husband confronted a man who removed the woman’s purse from her pickup truck. The suspect, who had parked a truck next to the woman’s vehicle, attempted to punch the woman, dropped the purse, then drove off with his truck door still open.

The woman suffered minor injuries from getting wedged between the open door and her own vehicle.

Police later learned that the truck had been reported stolen the previous day.

On Sept. 24, a 51-year-old Pahoa man reported that $447 worth of items had been stolen from his pickup.

An investigation led to the arrest of Jeffrey K. Keanaaina in Kailua-Kona on Wednesday. On Friday, he was charged with robbery, assault, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and other offenses. His bail was set at $76,000.