What started out as an attempt to shoplift liquor resulted in the arrest of a 19-year-old Hilo man on a strongarm robbery charge, according to police.
What started out as an attempt to shoplift liquor resulted in the arrest of a 19-year-old Hilo man on a strongarm robbery charge, according to police.
On Tuesday at about 12:50 p.m., a store detective at the downtown KTA store noticed the man, identified as Peyton Aaron Rapier, stuff six bottles of liquor into his backpack and leave the store without paying, according to a court document filed by police.
The document states the store detective, identified as Lawrence Keanu, stopped Rapier outside the store’s Mamo Street entrance and Rapier allegedly hit Keanu more than once and tried to run away.
Keanu was reportedly uninjured. The total value of the liquor was $125.98, according to the document.
Rapier, who has no prior convictions, made his initial court appearance Wednesday, and Hilo District Judge Harry Freitas set a preliminary hearing for Thursday and maintained his bail at $2,000.
Second-degree robbery is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.