Kona man charged for Tuesday crime spree

Hawaii Island police charged a 34-year-old Kailua-Kona man with numerous offenses in connection with a crime spree Tuesday morning in Keauhou.

Jacob Robert Altman is charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle, unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle and second-degree theft.

His bail was set at $16,000 and he’s scheduled to appear today in Kona District Court.

Police received a report from a woman who said a man attempted to take her sport-utility vehicle by force on Alii Drive near Keauhou Shopping Center. The man, later identified as Altman, was successful in entering the SUV but unable to drive it away, police said. Altman then allegedly attempted to enter a sedan that had stopped to assist the woman. The sedan’s driver drove away before the man entered their vehicle and Altman reportedly fled, police said.

A short time later, dispatchers received a series of calls from the Keauhou Bay area reporting a man of the same description had taken a man’s cellphone by force.

Police say Altman was also seen stealing a utility vehicle, which he drove south through a resort property, causing damage to lighting and sprinklers. He reportedly abandoned the utility vehicle at the south end of Alii Drive and fled south on foot. Officers searched the area, found and arrested Altman.