Two charged in string of vehicle thefts on Hawaii Island

Hawaii island police this week arrested two people for 13 vehicle thefts since April — one theft occurring at gunpoint.

The Hawaii Police Department said in a press release that as the result of a task force launched in the wake of an “alarming number of auto thefts,” a man and a woman were arrested on Tuesday and have been charged.

The vehicles were stolen in Puna, Hilo, Hāmākua, South Kohala and Kona.

Christian Olivera, 19, and Jasmine Saragosa-Taoy, 24, were taken into custody at a Hawaiian Paradise Park residence in Puna at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Police arrested Olivera for vehicle thefts on April 28, May 6, May 22, May 28, May 31, June 21, June 25, July 6, July 9; two on July 8 and two on July 7. The vehicles were chiefly Honda Civics and Toyota Tacomas. Olivera alledgedly fled from police in a chase on July 7, and he’s accused of using a firearm in the May 28 theft for allegedly stealing a Subaru coupe at gunpoint. On July 8 he’s accused of recklessly placing a police officer in danger of death or injury.

Saragosa-Taoy is also accused in the July 7 thefts, as well as the May 31 theft. In addition, she’s accused of recklessly placing a police officer in danger, and also faces charges in connection with stolen credit cards.

On Wednesday, Olivera was charged with 13 counts of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, three counts of resisting an order to stop, two counts of terroristic threatening and one count each of criminal property damage and robbery. His bail is set at $600,000.

Saragosa-Taoy was charged with hindering prosecution, two counts of credit card theft and two counts of unauthorized possession of confidential personal information. She was also charged with being an accomplice to Olivera in three counts of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, one count of terroristic threatening and criminal property damage. Her bail is set at $115,000.