Four individuals accused of breaking into the Tech Hub shop in Honiara, and allegedly stole over 80 mobile phones and $560 in cash early this year, will take their pleas on March 4.
The four defendants include a Tech Hub employee Jimmy Kiriau and his associates, Stephen Yim, Jared Meke and Andrew Kiriau, are facing charges of shop breaking.
The prime suspect, Frank Firimolea, is still at large.
Their matter was mentioned in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court Tuesday, where bail applications were made for all four defendants.
Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison granted bail and imposed a cash bail of $1,000 for the defendants to pay before they are released from custody.
The court also imposed strict bail conditions on them.
After discovering the theft, the complainant reported the incident to the police, who dispatched investigators and a forensics team to the scene.
It is alleged that on January 31, 2025, the complainant was informed that someone had broken into her Tech Hub Shop.
The properties stolen are 18 iPhones 8 worth $27,000, 65 iPhones 7 worth $65,000, 1 Samsung Galaxy S21 worth $3,800, and cash of $560 were stolen.
After that, she checked the CCTV camera and saw footage of the thief roaming around inside her shop and stealing mobile phones and cash.
It is alleged that prior to the incident, Jimmy Kiriau provided information to the other defendants about the business activity of Tech Hub, phone lockup storage and cashier table, CCTV camera position, and about the surroundings and security of Tech Hub shop. The information was provided to his associates to help their planning to break and steal from the shop.
In the early hours of January 31, 2025, between 4am and 5am, Yim, Meke, Andrew Kiriau, and Firimolea boarded a dark glass gray van.
The vehicle was driven by Yim.
The vehicle proceeded to Koloale junction, where it dropped off Firimolea, and drove back down to a market stall located a few meters away from the Tech Hub shop.
The market stall was owned by the security officer for Tech Hub shop.
At the market stall, Yim exited the van while Meke and Andrew Kiriau remained inside the van and watched for him while he would distract the security from his concentration towards Tech Hub shop.
After some time, the security officer heard a loud bang coming from Tech Hub shop and so he got up and walked towards Tech Hub building to see where the noise came from.
When the security officer approached Tech Hub shop main door, he looked ahead and saw the backside of suspect Firimolea exiting the Tech Hub shop and walking up the Koloale road to the dark car wash area.
The security officer walked back to Yim and told him what he saw, and in response, Yim told him that he would assist him in chasing after the suspect.
Yim then went inside the van and drove after Firimolea.
Instead of chasing Firimolea, Yim allegedly picked up Firimolea and drove back.
As he drove the van back, he slowly passed the security officer and asked him if he had seen the person, but the security officer replied no.
Yim then continued driving on, pretending that he missed the suspect and drove off.
It was on February 3, 2025, that police officers were able to locate the defendants Yim, Meke, and Andrew Kiriau at Namuruka.
All had iPhones in their possession and were arrested.
Police recovered eight iPhones 8 from Yim, another seven iPhones from Meke, and 18 iPhones from Andrew Kiriau.
Firimolea is still at large with the other portion of the stolen phones and cash.
BY ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
