Posted on: Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Two charged in church burglary

Advertiser Staff

HILO, Hawai'i — Two suspects have been charged with Friday's burglary at the Immaculate Heart of Mercy Church in Papa'ikou, South Hilo.

Tyson Kenji Butts, 19, of Hilo, and Courtney Lee Uchima, 23, of Honomu, were charged Sunday with three counts of second-degree burglary and were held overnight in lieu of $3,000 bail.

Police were summoned at 4 a.m. Friday and found that several church buildings had been burglarized and that a computer monitor and other property were missing. Officers found a truck belonging to Uchima in the church parking lot and had it towed to Hilo, police said.

While still at the church at 5:30 a.m., officers noticed a man later identified as Butts walking down the driveway of a nearby residence. He was questioned and arrested. A bystander then told police a woman had been seen walking toward a vacant residence, and when officers checked the home, they found Uchima hiding in a closet.

Most of the missing church property was recovered.

A second Big Island church also was a recent target of thieves, police said. A 7-foot-long, galvanized metal guardrail was stolen from Hilo United Methodist Church on Waianuenue Avenue sometime the night of March 13.

The 3-foot-high railing, valued at $225, was erected to stop skateboarders from using the church walkway.

Call officer Vince Sivankeo at (808) 935i3311 or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 in Hilo or (808) 329-8181 in Kona.