KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii – Hawai´i Island police have charged a man in connection with a robbery Wednesday night at a restaurant in Kailua-Kona.

At approximately 10:30 p.m. Wednesday (September 11), after the restaurant had closed, an unknown man entered the premises near the intersection of Palani Road and Kuakini Highway, approached a female employee from behind, threatened her with a weapon, forced her into another room and grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash. He fled on foot in an unknown direction.

Detectives with the Area II Criminal Investigation Section continued the investigation and on Tuesday (September 17) arrested 30-year-old Klay Brian Bensch, of Kailua-Kona on suspicion of robbery.

On Wednesday (September 18), Bensch was charged with first–degree robbery, first-degree burglary, kidnapping, second-degree assault and second-degree theft. His bail was set at $29,000.

He is being held at the Kona cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Thursday (September 19).