Man arrested in rash of vehicle break-ins

Advertiser Staff

A Big Island man was arrested in connection with a string of 20 car break-ins at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Robert Souza, 22, appeared Monday in federal court in Honolulu and remains in custody facing felony charges.

Souza was arrested at 4:30 a.m. Saturday after police said he broke into a vehicle at a pullout along the 15-mile Chain of Craters Road.

The arrest came on the second night of a surveillance operation set up by rangers in response to a rash of car break-ins during a two-week period, all during the late-night and early-morning, said Chief Ranger Paul Ducasse.

Evidence collected by rangers suggested, and Souza confirmed, that he is addicted to smoking crystal methamphetamine and was fueling his habit by stealing valuables, Ducasse said.

The break-ins, all but one of which occurred along Chain of Craters road, cost thousands of dollars in valuables and damage to vehicles, he said.

The park is open 24 hours . It had been almost a year since the last car break-in, Ducasse said.

No break-ins have been reported since Souza's arrest.