An almost six-hour standoff between a 36-year-old Hilo man and police at a Kalanikoa Street self-storage facility was the culmination of an almost two-week crime spree, according to court documents filed by police.
Jacob Kime — whom police say is a recent arrival on the Big Island from Oahu — is charged with first-degree burglary, three counts of first-degree theft, two counts of unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle, first-degree arson, third-degree methamphetamine possession and possessing drug paraphernalia.
Only the drug and paraphernalia charges are from the standoff itself, as police allege Kime smoked crystal meth in the storage unit he barricaded himself in at StorQuest Storage in the Kanoelehua Industrial Area.
The other counts are connected with two home break-ins, one on April 26 on Moho Road in Hawaiian Acres, the other on April 30 on Paradise Ala Kai Drive in Hawaiian Paradise Park.
In the first incident, the victim, a 72-year-old man, told police numerous items were stolen, including the keys to his vehicle , a 2019 Hyundai Kona — which was also stolen. Kime was later identified driving the stolen vehicle, police said.
Several days later, on April 30, Puna patrol officers responded to a vehicle fire on 5th Avenue in HPP. Officers found the Hyundai fully engulfed in flames, and reportedly confirmed it was the vehicle stolen from Hawaiian Acres.
In the second incident, the victim, a 72-year-old woman, said items stolen include a loaded Smith &Wesson .38 Special revolver and the keys to her 2022 Toyota RAV4 sport-utility vehicle, which was also stolen.
Police say Kime was also spotted driving this vehicle, and it was recovered when he was arrested.
Kime appeared in court Friday on these charges. Hilo District Judge Bruce Larson maintained Kime’s bail at $195,000 and ordered him to return to court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing.
Kime already had appeared in court on Thursday on charges from April 20 and 21 relating to an alleged burglary and auto theft, and a robbery in which Kime allegedly broke into a woman’s home, pepper sprayed her and stole her iPhone.
Kime remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
