2018-05-10 Leilani Estates Burglary Suspect Charged with Four Burglaries -- press release

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Hawaiʻi Police Department Area I Criminal Investigation Section Lieutenant Miles Chong Phone: 961-2252 Report No.: C18013104 Media Release Hawaiʻi Island police have charged a Pāhoa man for four burglaries in the Leilani Estates Subdivision, an area covered by an Emergency Proclamation declared by the Mayor’s Office on May 3, 2018. On Wednesday (May 9), a 66-year old man, told police that he and an acquaintance arrived at his Moku Street home to retrieve personal belongings when the victim encountered a man exiting the victim’s home office. The victim discovered that the suspect had keys in his possession that was taken from the office. At 12:03 p.m. the suspect, 29-year old Alexandru Stingu-Dragomir was arrested without incident after the victim and his acquaintance drove the suspect to the police checkpoint at the Highway 130 and Leilani Avenue intersection. He was taken to the Hilo Cellblock while Detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section continued the investigation. In addition to the home office, investigators determined that the suspect also entered into two other dwellings also on the victim’s property, as well as a neighboring home on Moku Street. At 2:30 p.m. Thursday (May 10), Stingu-Dragomir was charged with three counts of burglary of a dwelling, each being a Class “A” felony, and one count of burglary of a building, a Class “B” felony, which occurred during an emergency period. He remains in the Hilo cellblock in lieu of $175,000 bail pending his initial appearance in South Hilo District Court scheduled for tomorrow afternoon (May 11). Section 708-817 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes provides that if a person commits the offense of burglary of a dwelling during an emergency period proclaimed by the governor or mayor pursuant to chapter 127A and within the area covered by the emergency period, the offender is subject to a Class “A” felony, punishable by up to 20 years of incarceration. The Class “B” felony charge is punishable by up to 10 years of incarceration.