Haili Christian School in downtown Hilo was burglarized during the weekend, police said Monday. ADVERTISING Haili Christian School in downtown Hilo was burglarized during the weekend, police said Monday. A written police statement said items taken include a Canon camera
Haili Christian School in downtown Hilo was burglarized during the weekend, police said Monday.
A written police statement said items taken include a Canon camera with lenses, two Kamaka ukuleles, another ukulele imprinted with foreign words, a red HD camera, a Bible and an undisclosed amount of cash.
School administrator Kim McCarty said Monday officials are still “trying to figure out” the monetary value of what was taken.
“The camera was quite expensive and it was the personal property of one of our teachers, so we’re trying to get the values of those things, and the ukuleles,” she said.
McCarty said two classrooms were entered but there was no evidence of a break-in, except for the missing items and some “paperwork” torn down from the outside windows and doors.
“Nothing got broken; that was really weird,” she said.
McCarty said the classrooms, which have jalousie windows, were locked. She said the burglary took place sometime between 1 p.m. Friday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, most likely after dark.
“It had to occur Friday evening or Saturday evening,” McCarty said. “We do see a lot of unfamiliar individuals in the evening on Ululani Street, in particular. There are a lot of people that may or may not belong in the area that are loitering. The streets are quite dark, too, in the evening.”
McCarty called the burglary at the Ululani Street school affiliated with the historic Haili Congregational Church “disappointing.” She said catching the culprit or culprits will be “a shot in the dark, unless they’re caught with the items.”
Police ask anyone with information about the burglary or the identity of the burglars to call the Police Department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311 or Officer Wayne Kenison at 961-2213. Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 and could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
McCarty said she hopes whoever broke in to the school will read the Bible.
“Hopefully, they’ll be ministered to. Who knows what the Lord will do?” she said.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
