(BIVN) – An 18-year-old Hilo man was arrested and charged this weekend in connection with a stolen vehicle, reportedly taken from an auto repair shop on Kīlauea Avenue. 

18-year-old Russel Britos, of Hilo, has been charged various offenses, police say.

From the Hawaiʻi Police Department:

The charges against Britos stem from an incident on Saturday, February 24, 2024, just after 1:00 p.m., in which a blue 2006 Toyota Tacoma was stolen from the vehicle bay of an automotive repair shop in the 400 block of Kilauea Avenue in Hilo. The vehicle was last seen by employees of the repair shop traveling north bound on Kilauea Avenue. Witnesses at the repair shop were able to identify the suspect to investigating officers as Russel Britos.

During the investigation, officers received numerous calls of a blue Toyota Tacoma being operated in a reckless manner while traveling north bound on Māmalahoa Highway (Highway 19), just north of Hilo.

Around 2:30 p.m., officers received a call of a man with a knife fronting a residence in the 27-2000 block of Highway 19, in Pepe‘ekeō. The man was reported to be standing next to the stolen blue Toyota Tacoma and was observed removing items from within the truck.

Upon officers arriving on scene, Britos was the only person observed in close proximity to the stolen vehicle and was arrested for unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle (auto theft). The stolen Toyota was observed to be stuck in a mud pit in a pasture and was recovered using a tow truck.

Detectives later charged Britos with the following offenses:

• First-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle (auto theft)
• First-degree theft
• First-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle (auto break-in)

The Hawai‘i Police Department added that it “would like to remind community members to be vigilant when parking their vehicles, remembering to roll-up all the windows and lock the doors. Valuables should be stored out-of-sight, preferably in the vehicle’s trunk to deter vehicle break-ins.”

Anyone with information regarding this crime can contact Detective Christopher Jelsma at (808) 961-2386 or christopher.jelsma@hawaiicounty.gov.