Police are continuing to investigate a robbery reported Saturday that allegedly took place days earlier at Hilo Baptist Church.
According to police Capt. Kenneth Quiocho, the Hilo Patrol Division commander, a woman in her 50s reported that in the morning of Aug. 6 or 7 she met with a male in his late 50s at the church in regards to the sale of a van.
The man allegedly brandished a knife, “and tells her to turn over her money, which she does,” about $400 in cash, Quiocho said.
The suspect then fled.
Quiocho said police are “kind of perplexed” as to why the woman delayed reporting the incident.
“You don’t get robbed at knife point and report (the incident) at your leisure,” he said.
The woman was encouraged by her husband to report the incident to police, which she did on Saturday.
The woman “said she was afraid to report it,” Quiocho said. “At this point, we’re trying to put the pieces together.”
Hilo Baptist, located on Lanikaula Street, is the location of the alleged robbery, but the church is not otherwise involved in the incident.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.