Full Notification

Hawai‘i Police Department
Area I Criminal Investigation Section
Lieutenant Zachary Fernando
Phone: (808) 961-2252
Report No.: 24-112700
 
Media Release
 
Hawai‘i Island police have arrested and charged 30-year-old Michael Anderson, of Puna, with numerous property and drug offenses in connection with a burglary incident on Tuesday morning, December 10, 2024, in the Hawaiian Beaches Subdivision of Pāhoa.
 
Around 11:15 a.m. on December 10, Puna patrol officers responded to a residence in the 15-2700 block of Lai Street, after the homeowner reported seeing suspicious activity on a home video surveillance system that led the homeowner to believe the home was actively being burglarized.
 
Already in the area on an unrelated call, officers arrived about ten minutes later and located a broken living room window. After consulting with the homeowner, officers conducted a check within the residence for any suspects, however the residence was clear.
 
Officers then conducted a check of a locked Toyota pick-up truck registered to the homeowner, which was parked in the attached garage. Officers then observed a leg partially visible hidden under reusable shopping bags in the cab area of the truck.
 
Officers gave loud verbal commands, and a male party they later identified as Anderson exited the Toyota and was detained. Officers contacted the homeowner who confirmed that Anderson did not have permission to enter the residence or truck. Anderson was arrested and transported to the East Hawai’i Detention Facility for booking, processing, and continued investigation by Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives.
 
Detectives executed a search warrant on a backpack that was recovered at the scene and recovered property, which may be linked to another burglary in the same subdivision. Also recovered from the backpack was a small zip-type packet containing a small amount of methamphetamine and a methamphetamine-smoking pipe.
 
On Wednesday, December 11, upon conferral with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Anderson was charged with the following offenses:

• First-degree burglary
• Second-degree unauthorized entry into motor vehicle
• Third-degree promoting a dangerous drug
• Third-degree criminal property damage

His total bail was set at $17,000.
 
Unable to post bail, Anderson made his initial court appearance on Thursday, December 12, in South Hilo District Court.
 
Police ask anyone who may have information relative to this investigation to call Detective David Po‘ohina of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2385, or email at [email protected].
 
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island wide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.