WAILUKU - An 18-year-old Kula man was arrested in the robbery of a visitor whose laptop computer was stolen when he was assaulted by five males Friday night at Paia Bay Park, police said.
Police are looking for other suspects, including an 18-year-old Huelo man, said Lt. Jayson Rego of the Criminal Investigation Division.
He said the robbery was one of three reported over the weekend. The robberies aren't believed to be related, Rego said.
He said the Paia Bay robbery occurred at 9:50 p.m. when an 18-year-old visitor was approached by five males who asked him for drugs. The visitor, who isn't a drug user, walked away.
As the visitor was walking away on the beach about 50 yards from the park, the males pushed him and began punching him, causing him to drop his backpack, Rego said. He said one male removed the laptop and charger and clothing from the backpack before the males ran. The stolen items were valued at $350.
After the visitor called police, Wailuku patrol officer John Bowker saw two males matching the descriptions of the suspects hitchhiking at Hana Highway and Hoku Place in Paia, Rego said. He said one male ran and Bowker arrested Dylan Valoroso, who had the stolen laptop.
Valoroso was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail on a charge of second-degree robbery.
The victim declined treatment after experiencing pain to his ribs and face, Rego said.
Several hours later, a robbery was reported at 3:17 a.m. Saturday as a man was walking home in front of Kalama Park in Kihei, Rego said.
The man was walking north on the makai sidewalk along South Kihei Road when he was confronted by a passenger from a black pickup truck that had been heading north, Rego said.
He said the passenger asked for a cigarette before punching the victim several times, pushing him to the pavement and grabbing his backpack. The truck fled north.
The backpack contained items valued at $974 including the man's wallet, cash and credit cards.
The victim was transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center in stable condition after suffering contusions to his head and pain to his jaw, Rego said.
The suspects in the truck were described as in their early 20s and weighing between 160 and 200 pounds.
A third robbery occurred at about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, as a man and woman, both 22 and from Taiwan, were walking from the area near Banana Bungalow on North Market Street in Wailuku to their jobs at a Wailuku restaurant, Rego said.
He said the two were approached by a male who demanded the man's backpack while holding what appeared to be a handgun.
When the man refused to give up the backpack, the male punched the victim several times in the face, Rego said. He said the victim also reported being struck by the firearm, which turned out to be an airsoft pistol that broke into pieces.
The suspect ran after several people came to the victim's aid, Rego said. He said the victim was transported to the hospital to be treated for pain to his face and ribs.
The suspect was described as 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 175 pounds. He wore a red T-shirt and black shorts.
Anyone with information on suspects in any of the robberies is asked to call the Criminal Investigation Division at 244-6425 or Maui Crime Stoppers at 242-6966.
Callers to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous and are given a code number. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of suspects in felony crimes.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.
