Tyler Napoleon Arrested in Hilo for Vehicle Break-ins; Tools, Meth Seized

Hawai‘i Island police say investigators recovered $798 worth of stolen property and methamphetamine and charged 23‑year‑old Tyler Napoleon on Feb. 14 with second‑degree theft and second‑degree promotion of a dangerous drug in connection with three vehicle break‑ins reported in Hilo in mid‑January. Bail was set at $15,000 following conferral with the Hawai‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

Police records detail a cluster of incidents beginning the afternoon of Jan. 12 when an unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle was reported in the area of Amauulu Road and Maikalani Street in South Hilo. Investigators linked that report to two additional thefts: tools removed from the bed of a truck parked at a home improvement store on the 300 block of East Makaala Street in the early morning of Jan. 12, and tools taken from a truck parked in a driveway on the 1000 block of Komohana Drive between the evening of Jan. 12 and the morning of Jan. 13.

A South Hilo patrol officer observed a vehicle previously identified as being involved in the Jan. 12 UEMV and conducted a traffic stop on Jan. 13. “During the stop, stolen property was observed inside the truck, which was recovered,” police said. After the stop, a search warrant was executed, and investigators say they recovered $798 worth of stolen property and methamphetamine; police determined the recovered property belonged to three victims in the separate vehicle break‑in incidents.

Local reporting and social posts say Napoleon was arrested in Puna on the evening of Feb. 13 on an outstanding warrant, though the Hawai‘i Police Department’s press release did not specify an arrest location. After the Feb. 13 arrest reported by local blog Bigislandthieves and an Instagram fragment, prosecutors filed the two charges on Feb. 14 and set bail at $15,000.

The stolen items were primarily tools, and investigators note the loss affected three victims whose equipment was taken from truck beds at the East Makaala Street store and on Komohana Drive. The theft of tools valued at $798 has immediate economic consequences for workers who depend on that equipment to earn a living, and the promotion charge tied to methamphetamine raises public safety and public health concerns in Hilo neighborhoods where opioid and stimulant harms have put pressure on emergency and treatment services.

The Hawai‘i Police Department urged residents to secure vehicles and tool storage, saying, “Police encourage the public to avoid leaving valuables unsecured and unattended in truck beds.” Detective Amy Omaya of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section is the contact for the case at (808) 961‑2381 or amy.omaya@hawaiipolice.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961‑8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000; all Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential. The department’s non‑emergency line is (808) 935‑3311.

Reporting on arrests and drug recoveries on the island carries public health implications beyond law enforcement: seized methamphetamine and promotion charges reflect supply and demand forces that intersect with gaps in treatment access and economic insecurity. Community members with information about the Jan. 12–13 break‑ins or related activity are asked to contact Detective Omaya or Crime Stoppers to assist investigators and reduce harm to neighbors and local workers.