Man Charged After Multiple Window Breakings in Downtown Hilo

Hawaiʻi police charged 45 year old Wayland Leong Sr. on Monday, Dec. 29, after an investigation into a string of property damage incidents that occurred in downtown Hilo. Following consultation with the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Leong was charged with five counts of criminal property damage, three in the second degree and two in the fourth degree. Bail was set at $15,200, and he is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 30, in Hilo District Court.

The charges stemmed from an incident reported at approximately 12:38 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28, when South Hilo patrol officers received multiple anonymous calls about a male throwing rocks at business windows along Pūnāhoa Street, Furneaux Lane, and Kamehameha Avenue. Callers described a local male wearing a white shirt and jeans and reported the sound of glass breaking. A witness told officers the suspect had thrown a large rock at a restaurant window before fleeing toward Kamehameha Avenue. Officers later located a man matching that description near the Moʻoheau Bus Terminal and identified him as Leong.

For downtown Hilo business owners and residents, the incident is a reminder that property crime can impose immediate costs and longer term burdens. Physical damage to storefronts leads to repair expenses, temporary closures, and potential lost sales during a peak retail period in late December. Repeated incidents can also affect insurance premiums for small businesses and shift budget priorities toward security measures such as reinforced glass or surveillance systems.

From a law enforcement and policy perspective, prosecutors cited multiple counts and differing degrees of property damage, signaling a response calibrated to the severity and number of alleged offenses. The case will move through Hilo District Court with an initial appearance scheduled for today. Community leaders and business owners may use this episode to reassess risk mitigation and communication protocols with patrol officers, as well as to weigh investments in prevention that could reduce future economic disruption in the downtown core.