Hotel lanai jumper charged with burglary

A man seen jumping from balcony to balcony at a Kailua-Kona hotel was charged with burglary after his arrest early Tuesday morning on Alii Drive.

Elijah Prevetz-Lafayette, 29, of Honaunau, Hawaii island, reportedly entered an occupied room through a balcony screen door and took three bags.

A 20-year-old woman, visiting from Switzerland and staying in the room, struggled with the intruder on the lanai and held onto her bags, police said.

Hotel employees watched the man jump to another balcony and enter an unoccupied room, police said. The suspect left the room and fled to the parking lot, where employees detained him until officers arrived at the location on the 75-5700 block of Alii Drive at about 5:30 a.m.

Authorities charged Prevetz-Lafayette with burglary, theft, criminal property damage and criminal trespass.

Prevetz-Lafayette made his initial appearance in court Thursday. A bail reduction request was denied and remained at $27,500.

He was ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing at 2 p.m. today in a Kona courtroom.