Police seek public help identifying suspects in Waikōloa boutique theft

Hawaii Island police are asking the public to identify two women captured on surveillance images in connection with a March 12 theft at a Waikōloa clothing boutique. Tips can be phoned in to the Hawaii Police Department non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311, shared with the South Kohala district officer assigned to the case by email, or reported anonymously through Hawaii Island Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300, where tipsters may qualify for a reward of up to $1,000.

The images were released on April 24 as investigators in South Kohala continued to look for leads in the case. Police have not said the women have been identified, and the public release signals that detectives are still trying to determine where they may be and who may recognize them.

For Waikōloa merchants, the case fits a pattern that has become familiar on the Kona side, where a single theft can ripple far beyond one store’s inventory. Small retailers in a resort and visitor economy often absorb the loss through higher security costs, more employee monitoring and the added pressure of protecting merchandise in busy commercial centers where shoppers, workers and visitors move quickly.

Hawaii Police Department has used the same public-help approach in other South Kohala theft investigations. In September 2024, officers asked for help identifying two suspects in a theft at the Waikoloa Highlands shopping center involving about $165 in grocery items. In August 2025, police again sought public assistance in a South Kohala case involving a stolen cellular phone and identity theft.

That recurring pattern shows how often investigators in West Hawaii rely on surveillance footage and community recognition to move low-level theft cases forward. In a district where retail spaces serve both residents and visitors, even a small theft can tighten margins, raise security expenses and weaken confidence among business owners trying to keep shelves stocked and customers coming back.