NEWS BRIEFS

• PRIVACY VIOLATED ON HELE-ON BUS: Police are looking for an unknown man in a cowboy hat who was caught on camera, apparently taking indecent photographs of a woman who had fallen asleep on the Hele-On bus while riding in Hilo.
• HILO HOME INVASION: 36-year-old Richard Mattos Jr. was arrested in an alleged home invasion on Ainaola Drive. No one was reported hurt. The suspect in the crime – said to have been holding a handgun in one hand and a machete in the other – was driven off by the victim’s barking dog.
• SEARCH FOR JEFFREY MEEK CONTINUES: Police say they have recovered items that are believed to belong to the missing 44-year-old Keaʻau man, but his whereabouts remain unknown. Meek was last seen in the Pepeʻekeo area last Saturday (November 8).

PRIMARY SOURCE

PRIVACY VIOLATED ON HELE-ON BUS

Hawaiʻi Island police are investigating an invasion of privacy case in connection with an August incident on a public bus.

At approximately 11:50 a.m. on August 26, a man appeared to be taking indecent photographs of a woman who had fallen asleep on the Hele-On bus while riding in Hilo.

He is described as Caucasian, in his 40s to 50s with shoulder-length hair and a thick mustache. He was wearing a cowboy hat.

The man boarded the bus in Waimea and was last seen exiting the bus in Hilo.

Police ask anyone with information on his identity or whereabouts to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300. Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential. Hawaii County Police Dept. on Nov. 14

HILO HOME INVASION

A Hilo man has been charged with six offenses in connection with an encounter involving a handgun and a machete.

At 11:49 a.m. Wednesday (November 12), South Hilo Patrol officers responded to a report of a weapons incident at a home on the 1100 block of Ainaola Drive in Hilo.

A 59-year-old man reported that an unknown man had entered his home with a handgun in one hand and a machete in the other and then pointed the gun at the victim and ordered him into the victim’s pickup truck. When the victim’s dog barked, the intruder fled on foot.

About 40 minutes later, police located the suspect, identified as 36-year-old Richard Mattos Jr. of Hilo, at a home on the next block. Police recovered a loaded .22 caliber revolver and a machete.

Mattos was arrested and taken to the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation.

At 11:45 a.m. Thursday (November 13) detectives charged Mattos with first-degree burglary, first-degree terroristic threatening, unlawful imprisonment and three firearms offenses. His bail was set at $145,000.

He remains at the cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Friday (November 14). Hawaii County Police Dept. on Nov. 13

SEARCH FOR JEFFREY MEEK CONTINUES

Hawaiʻi Island police are continuing their search for a missing 44-year-old Keaʻau man.

Thursday (November 13), detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section, Vice Section and Juvenile Aid Section continued their search for Jeffrey Everett Meek, who was last seen in the Pepeʻekeo area last Saturday (November 8). The efforts included both ground and aerial searches, which were aided by use of a Hawaiʻi Fire Department helicopter.

Search efforts continued along the shoreline Friday morning (November 14), again aided by the Fire Department’s chopper.

Detectives have recovered items that are believed to belong to Meek but his whereabouts remain unknown. News reports about “pinging” the location of his cell phone were based on the family’s use of a website that has a disclaimer stating that the information may not be accurate. Police are using more reliable methods to track the location of the phone.

Meek is described as Caucasian, 5-foot-8, 185 pounds with blue eyes and balding brown hair. He usually wears a white cowboy hat and blue jeans. He was last seen operating a 1986 faded blue Ford pickup truck, which police have since recovered.

Police ask anyone who may have seen Meek and his truck on November 8 or who may have information or know his whereabouts to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Wendall Carter at 961-2378 or wcarter@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.Hawaii County Police Dept. on Nov. 14