The Department of Land and Natural Resources said two trucks, a utility task vehicle and a tilt trailer stolen from a Division of Forestry and Wildlife base yard last November have all now been recovered.
On Wednesday, a joint task force from DLNR and the Hawaii Police Department recovered the $18,000 UTV from a Puna property.
The two trucks, a 2008 Toyota Tacoma, a 2018 Ford F350, and the 18-foot trailer were all previously found. The value of the stolen vehicles and the trailer exceeds $130,000, DLNR said.
Thieves also took 140 individual items when they broke into the portion of the Hilo facility that supports the work of the Mauna Kea Forest Restoration Project.
Nick Agorastos, a supervisor with the DOFAW Hawaii Branch and a co-worker were with officers when the vehicle was recovered.
“We are very happy to get it back,” said Nick Agorastos, a DOFAW supervisor. “The loss of the trucks, trailer, UTV, and other equipment would have set the project back a few years and likely would have reduced its capacity to host tree planting volunteers, community groups, and members of the public during the upcoming planting season.”
The $70,000 Ford truck was recovered in January and police arrested two suspects. Officers haven’t been able to locate the dozens of items stolen during the break-in. The stolen items include packs, tools, chain saws, first aid kits, raincoats, fire extinguishers, coolers, water cans, and fuel cans, virtually everything restoration project staff utilize in the field regularly.