A joint agriculture theft investigation involving the Hawaii Police Department and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources enforcement officers resulted in the recovery of 157 pounds of stolen lychee worth $1,256, according to court documents filed by police.
Documents state the lychee came from OK Farms lychee orchard adjacent to Rainbow Falls above Hilo. The orchard, according to documents, has “clear signage stating ‘No Trespassing.’”
According to a police statement, on Thursday, a DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officer spotted three men and a woman crossing Wailuku River above Rainbow Falls, each carrying a large bag on their backs.
The DOCARE officer took cellphone photographs showing the four crossing above Rainbow Falls, all carrying large bags.
Another DLNR officer stopped a Nissan pickup truck leaving Rainbow Falls which had a mesh bag containing about 50 pounds of the fruit, according to documents. The truck’s occupants, 33-year-old Duston Bishop and 24-year-old Krislyn Palama, both of Hilo were arrested. Another man, 32-year-old Jan Loren Aguinaldo, was also arrested in the area.
All three were charged with second-degree theft, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment upon conviction, and second-degree trespassing, a petty misdemeanor.
Bishop posted $2,250 bail and was released from custody.
According to police, a fourth man disappeared into the bushes. Documents identified him as 43-year-old Christopher Souza, whom Palama allegedly identified as the truck’s owner and her boyfriend. It’s not known if he’s being sought as part of the investigation.
A search warrant was executed on the truck, and additional bags of lychee were found, documents state.
According to documents, the owner of OK Farms, Troy Keolanui, told police he sells the lychee for $8 per pound.
Palama and Aguinaldo both made their initial court appearances Monday. Hilo District Judge Jeffrey Hawk maintained bail at $2,250 for each and ordered them both to return Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.
Both remain in custody in Hawaii Community Correctional Center.