Police Arrest Mountain View Man for Robbery in Hilo

Hawai‘i Island police have arrested a Mountain View man following a violent robbery at an auto parts store in Hilo on Tuesday morning, April 1, 2025. The suspect has been identified as 34-year-old Raul Jaramillo Laa.

Shortly before 11:00 a.m., Hilo patrol officers were assigned to a weapons incident at an auto parts store within a retail center on the 2100 block of Kanoelehua Avenue in Hilo. A store employee reported that a man entered the store, selected several items, and placed them into his backpack, then attempted to leave the store without paying for the merchandise. As the suspect was attempting to leave the store, an employee confronted him, at which point the suspect brandished a knife, verbally threatening and injuring the employee, before exiting the store.

Responding officers contacted the 33-year-old store employee, who had a minor cut to his wrist, however, he declined medical treatment. The suspect also reportedly verbally threatened two additional store employees.

When the suspect left the store with the unpaid merchandise, he was seen entering a parked vehicle within the parking lot. Officers were provided a description of the vehicle and the suspect. The vehicle was subsequently located; however, the suspect had left the area on foot. Patrol officers and members of the Area I Crime Reduction Unit made extensive area checks, and located a man matching the description of the suspect, at a nearby gas station/convenience store on Kekela Street. Upon positive identification, the suspect, identified as Laa, was arrested for first-degree robbery.    

At the time of his arrest Laa was in possession of a backpack, which was recovered as evidence pending the issuance of a search warrant.

Laa was transported to the East Hawai‘i Detention Facility pending investigation.

Police ask anyone who may have witnessed this incident to call the Area I Crime Reduction Unit at (808) 961-8222, or the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.