Police: Suspected car thief from Kona targeted rental cars

A 33-year-old Kailua-Kona man accused of serial car theft apparently primarily targeted rental vehicles, according to police court documents.

Shortly before his arrest on June 7 at a home in the Kealakehe subdivision, which he allegedly entered without permission, Nakalohe J. Gersaba was observed by officers driving a stolen black 2020 Jeep Wrangler that Black Rock Auto Sales was using as a rental car, police said.

The Jeep, valued at about $45,000, was equipped with a GPS tracking device that police used to locate and arrest the suspect. According to documents, the Jeep had been reported stolen earlier in the day from an address on Lanakoi Place.

Gersaba – who apparently knew police were following him – was allegedly smoking methamphetamine in the bedroom of the Palani Road house when he was arrested. Police say Gersaba resisted arrest, after which three police officers handcuffed him.

A glass pipe and a packet containing about 2 grams of methamphetamine were allegedly found at Gersaba’s home.

At the time of his arrest, Gersaba was wanted by police as a suspect in at least seven car thefts in Kona over the past week.

Other cars Gersaba allegedly stole include a black Nissan Altima owned by Enterprise Rent-A-Car stolen from a home on Nani Kailua Drive on June 3; a white Chevy pickup truck stolen from the owner’s home on Kapuahi Street on June 4; a blue Scion owned by Kokua Transport recovered parked unattended on Hao Kuni Street on June 6; a privately owned red Suzuki Grand Vitara that Gersaba allegedly took on Kealapua Street on June 6 after the Scion was left behind; a black 2023 Nissan Rogue reported stolen from the Budget Car Rental parking lot on Aulepe Street on June 3; and a silver Nissan Altima registered to SIXT Rent-a-Car and reported stolen on Kahauloa Road on June 4 by the renter who was on vacation.

According to the documents, Gersaba admitted to stealing the vehicles.

He is charged with six counts each of first-degree theft and unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle, two counts each of reckless driving, unauthorized entry into a dwelling, resisting arrest, terroristic threats, possession of methamphetamine, resisting an order to stop and driving without a license.

The most serious offenses, first-degree theft, are Class B felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

At Gersaba’s first court appearance on Monday, Assistant Public Defender David Saiki requested either supervised release – a type of cashless bail – or a bail reduction for his client. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Woodward requested that Gersaba’s bail remain at the original $545,000.

Kona District Judge Kimberly Tsuchiya reduced Gersaba’s bail to $125,000 and ordered him to appear in court today for a preliminary hearing.

Gersaba remains in custody at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center.

Email John Burnett at [email protected].