Traffic stop leads to felony arrest

A Puna man stopped for driving a suspicious vehicle has been charged with 11 offenses, including five felonies.

At 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, Puna patrol officers stopped 21-year-old Isaac Rosa of Mountain View, who was driving a pickup truck without a rear license plate on Ihope Road in Mountain View. Officers determined the truck’s vehicle identification number also was removed.

Rosa was arrested on suspicion of altering a motor vehicle serial number. Police say the truck had been stolen in a warehouse burglary on Stainback Highway sometime between Feb. 5-6.

A police investigation also determined Rosa was an accomplice in a burglary at another warehouse on Wiliama Street in Keaau on March 24. During that burglary, a sedan was stolen. Later that day, the stolen car was used in the theft of a pickup truck on Kukuau Street in Hilo.

Police say Rosa is responsible for an unrelated theft of a John Deere all-terrain vehicle on March 18 in Honomu.

Police recovered all three stolen vehicles and the ATV.

On Thursday, Rosa was charged with three counts of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and one count each of second-degree burglary, accomplice to first-degree theft, second-degree criminal property damage, accomplice to fourth-degree criminal property damage, driving without a license, driving without insurance and altering a motor vehicle serial number. The accomplice to first-degree theft, a Class B felony, was enhanced from accomplice to second-degree theft because the theft occurred under a disaster declaration for Puna due to lava.

Rosa’s bail was set at $16,775 and he had a Friday court appearance.

Police ask anyone with information about the March 24 warehouse burglary on Wiliama Street in Keaau or the identity of the second suspect to call the police non-emergency line at 935-3311. Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.