January 27 – A Hilo grand jury indicted a 35-year-old man, charging him with the alleged armed robbery of a fast food restaurant in Pahoa.
The grand jury indicted Rancey SK Lee on Thursday for first-degree robbery, first-degree terrorist endangerment and second-degree criminal misdemeanor. His bail is set at $40,000.
Lee is currently being held at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Puna police officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at McDonald’s in the Puna Kai mall shortly after 1:00 PM on January 20.
Workers told police a man wearing a face mask walked into the restaurant by the kitchen and drive-through window and demanded money while holding a screwdriver in his left hand and a wrench in his right, Hawaii police said in court documents.
Employees screamed and tried to run away from the suspect.
Police said the suspect ran out of the fast food restaurant without money from the establishment. No injuries were reported.
Police found the suspect, identified as Lee, walking down Pahoa Village Road and arrested him on suspicion of theft.
Officers found scissors and a key in his possession when he was arrested.
