Trending
WAILUKU -- Bail was increased to $50,000 for a man with a criminal past who was arrested Sunday for allegedly burglarizing a Kahului house and stealing a wallet.
Preston Latu, 33, of Wailuku was charged with first-degree burglary, 11 counts of habitual property crime, four counts of theft of a credit card, five counts of unauthorized possession of confidential personal information and second-degree theft.
At 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Latu allegedly was seen on surveillance video as he walked up to a house with a rolling cart and went into the garage and patio area of the residence on Maoli Street, Deputy Prosecutor Joanne Hicks said during his initial appearance Monday in Wailuku District Court. She said Latu allegedly took a wallet off a counter, placed it in his pocket and left.
The wallet contained a driver's license and four debit or credit cards.
Police identified Latu from the surveillance video and had issued an all-points bulletin for him when officers were called at noon to investigate suspicious activity by a man described as "tweaking out" and going through yards and jumping fences, Hicks said. She said officers chased Latu through several yards and he had to be taken to the ground before he was arrested at 12:35 p.m.
Latu faces mandatory minimum prison sentencing as a repeat offender if he is convicted as charged, Hicks said.
She said he has convictions this year for disorderly conduct, simple trespassing, violating an order for protection and violating a temporary restraining order, as well as earlier convictions for two counts of second-degree robbery, two counts of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, third-degree theft, DUI, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, first-degree terroristic threatening and driving without a license.
"He has a track record of violence, drug use and property crimes," Hicks said.
She said a probation officer described Latu as a "nightmare" who violated requirements of his probation multiple times and is "violent and unpredictable especially when using drugs."
After completing the Maui Drug Court program in 2021, Latu again was placed on probation, then resentenced to jail for an incident at a treatment program, Hicks said. "He's failed miserably on any kind of supervision," she said. "His conduct is continuing and escalating again."
While the prosecution asked for bail to be increased to $50,000 from $4,200 set by police, Deputy Public Defender Joan Tuers asked for bail to remain at the lower amount so Latu would have a chance of posting it and going to work.
Judge Chris Dunn set bail at $50,000, taking into consideration the defendant's extensive criminal record and the seriousness of the latest crimes, as well as the potential mandatory minimum sentencing and his poor track record of complying with court orders and probation.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.