18-year-old Russel Britos, of Hilo was arrested and charged with various offenses related to a Hilo auto theft.   
 
The charges against Britos stem from a February 24 incident in which a blue 2006 Toyota Tacoma was stolen from the vehicle bay of a Hilo auto repair shop. Witnesses at the 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 just north of Hilo.
 
Officers later received a call of a man with a knife fronting a Pepe‘ekeō residence. The man, who was reported to be standing next to the stolen vehicle, was observed removing items from the truck.
 
When officers arrived, Britos was the only person observed in close proximity to the stolen vehicle. He was arrested for unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.. The stolen Toyota was observed to be stuck in a mud pit in a pasture and was recovered using a tow truck.
 
Britos was transported to the East Hawaiʻi Detention Center for booking and processing as detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section (CIS) continued the investigation.
 
After conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office, Area I CIS detectives 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)

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

HPD Photo