Hawai‘i Island police arrested and charged two men in connection to the recent Merrie Monarch Festival office burglary.
On June 20, as police were investigating the Merrie Monarch burglary, Hilo patrol officers responded to a trespassing call in the 390 block of Hualani Street in Hilo in which it was reported that an unknown number of suspects entered a closed business establishment. Officers subsequently arrested 36-year-old Dayson Eblacas of Ewa Beach, Oʻahu, and 30-year-old Makua Amituanai of Pāhoa for first-degree criminal trespass after finding them inside the closed business where they were suspected of illegally squatting. During the course of investigating the criminal trespass case, police recovered property stolen from the Merrie Monarch Festival office, including eight Merrie Monarch medals, numerous electronic devices, and clothing items. After conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office, officers with HPD’s Area I Criminal Investigation Section Crime Reduction Unit charged both men with a number of offenses for the closed business and Merrie Monarch burglary investigations. Eblacas was charged with the following relative to entering the closed business:
- First-degree criminal trespass
- Ownership or possession prohibited
- Third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug: possession of marijuana
- Third-degree promotion of a harmful drug: possession of marijuana concentrates
- Third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug: possession of dangerous narcotic (methamphetamine)
- Habitual property crime
Police also arrested and charged Eblacas with second-degree theft relative to the Merrie Monarch burglary, including theft of Merrie Monarch medals and other items. His total bail for both incidents was set at $67,000. Amituanai was charged with the following offenses relative to entering the closed business:
- First-degree criminal trespass
- Habitual property crime
In addition, police arrested and charged Amituanai with fourth-degree theft relative to the Merrie Monarch burglary. Total bail for Amituanai was set $12,000.