Mayor Mitch Roth issued a assertion Tuesday condemning the steps an arsonist or arsonists who on Sunday torched four Division of Parks and Recreation automobiles.
According to the county, destruction to the autos, applied by the Elderly Routines Division and stored at the Kamana Senior Centre in Hilo, quantities to approximately $100,000.
No suspects have nonetheless been discovered.
“It’s a shame to assume that there are folks in our neighborhood who would deliberately demolish cars that are specially intended to serve our kupuna,” reported Roth. “We urge any one who sees or hears of this type of action to report it right to the law enforcement. We will not stand for it and will make certain that any particular person who attempts this type of egregious motion is punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
Parks and Recreation Director Maurice Messina explained the autos were utilised for “elderly transportation solutions and food deliveries to residence-bound seniors.”
“The thought of anyone setting them on hearth is senseless to me,” Messina said. “Over the final year, we have experienced quite a few circumstances of vandalism at this facility, such as automobile gasoline traces slash, catalytic converters stolen, and crack-ins at the office environment and storage lockers. We are hoping to establish further resources for safety at the Kamana Senior Middle, but our security spending plan is now stretched to over $1 million island-huge.”
The county is self-insured.
“We are in continuous battle with folks who do not regard our community amenities and come to feel that vandalizing County vehicles to steal fuel or breaking into our maintenance provide rooms to rip off cleansing materials has no repercussions. Each time we have to fix a vandalized facility or substitute stolen tools, it charges general public tax bucks which should be employed in other regions like plans and products and services,” stated Messina.
Parks and Recreation is asking for the community to notify them as shortly as feasible at (808) 961-8311 if you see energetic vandalism or theft at any county park seashore, or facility.
To report information and facts about the vehicle fires, simply call the law enforcement nonemergency amount at (808) 935-3311.
