Probable cause has been found to try a 36-year-old Hilo man on six charges, including first-degree robbery, for allegedly threatening a store detective with a knife a week ago in the KTA Super Stores Puainako parking lot.
After a preliminary hearing, Hilo District Judge Jennifer Ng on Wednesday ordered Andrew Steffan Storseth to appear for arraignment and plea at 8:30 a.m. June 17 before Hilo Circuit Judge Henry Nakamoto.
Ng also reduced Storseth’s bail from $194,000 to $100,000.
In addition to robbery, Storseth is charged with first-degree terroristic threatening, methamphetamine possession, illegal possession of ammunition, being a felon in possession of ammunition and fourth-degree theft.
According to court documents filed by police, the store detective, a 31-year-old man, told officers that on the afternoon of May 30, he saw Storseth place several store items in a green backpack, then select and pay for a bottle of Gatorade before leaving the store.
The store detective reportedly said he confronted Storseth in the parking lot. The employee identified himself as store security and told Storseth that KTA needed the allegedly stolen items, worth $105.80, returned.
Storseth allegedly brandished a knife and waved it toward the store employee multiple times, saying, “I’ll stick you” twice, before dropping the Gatorade and fleeing makai toward Minute Stop.
Officers arrested Storseth almost an hour later by the old Sears store in Prince Kuhio Plaza.
According to documents, Storseth gave them permission to search his backpack. Police allegedly found 1.44 grams of methamphetamine, two glass smoking pipes and two rounds of .22 caliber ammunition.
No knives or KTA store items were found, the documents state.
Storseth reportedly told police he didn’t steal anything from KTA, but brandished the knife to scare the security agent and to prevent him from assaulting Storseth.
Storseth also allegedly told officers he found the ammo on Railroad Avenue and intended to dispose of it so it wouldn’t “fall into the wrong hands.”
The most serious charge, first-degree robbery, is a Class A felony that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.
Storseth, who has previous convictions for felony and misdemeanor assault, remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
