Keaau man arrested in Hilo mall robbery and theft case

A 20-year-old Keaau man faces robbery and theft charges after police say a kiosk theft at a Hilo shopping center escalated when a sales clerk tried to stop him and he used force against her.

Police identified the suspect as Bronson Kaena Histo. The Hawaii Police Department said South Hilo patrol officers responded at 4:35 p.m. on April 28 to a shopping center in the 100 block of Puainako Street after a report of theft at a kiosk. Investigators said a male suspect removed jewelry items from the kiosk and tried to leave without paying.

According to police, a female sales clerk confronted the man, and he used force against her, causing minor injuries before fleeing on foot with the merchandise. Detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section continued the case, positively identified Histo as the suspect and obtained an arrest warrant.

Police said Histo was arrested in Puna on May 23 on the outstanding warrant tied to the Hilo case. He was also arrested on an unrelated bench warrant for failure to appear. After the warrant was executed, Histo was charged with second-degree robbery and second-degree theft, and bail was set at $15,000. He was scheduled to make his initial court appearance on May 26 in Hilo District Court.

Under Hawaii law, second-degree robbery covers situations in which force is used during a theft to overcome resistance or force is threatened to compel compliance or escape. Second-degree theft is a class C felony. The case is a reminder that a retail theft can quickly become a violent offense when force is used in a busy public setting, putting workers and shoppers at risk inside Hilo’s commercial centers.