LIHU‘E — A jury found a man guilty Tuesday of taking a cash box from the Lihu‘e Bowling Center. After a two-day trial the jury found Alfred Darrel Caley, 47, of Lihu‘e, guilty of second-degree theft. Sentencing is set for
LIHU‘E — A jury found a man guilty Tuesday of taking a cash box from the Lihu‘e Bowling Center.
After a two-day trial the jury found Alfred Darrel Caley, 47, of Lihu‘e, guilty of second-degree theft. Sentencing is set for Oct. 11, at which he faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Caley was arrested the night of Jan. 28 for the theft of a cash box containing $642 that belonged to the bowling alley. He was held at Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center until the trial.
County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Vogt said in court that it was “Rock-and-Bowl” night, and that Caley waited until a hundred or more patrons entered and paid a $3 cover charge. When the regular doorman stepped away for a moment, she said Caley seized the opportunity.
Marvin Devera, the DJ providing entertainment for the event, testified to witnessing the theft and chasing Caley into an alley. He wrestled the box away from Caley, who then ran away. Kaua‘i police later found and arrested him at 10:39 p.m.
Caley was part of an informal group that gathered daily at the picnic table in front of the bowling alley, according to Vogt. She presented witnesses who reported seeing Caley at the table prior to the theft.
Vogt argued that Caley was planning the crime for this particularly busy night, and could see the doorman making change for hours. He could expect that more than $300 to be in the box, she said, making it a felony theft.
State Deputy Public Defender Stephanie Sato represented Caley and said he did not contest the theft of the cash box.
She said Caley chose to go to trial because the state was overzealous with a felony charge when it could not show criminal intent in addition to the conduct.
In her closing arguments, Sato said that Casey acted impulsively and that he was not aware of the amount of money in the metal cash box.
She said the charges lacked felony intent and asked the jury to convict him of a lesser misdemeanor third-degree, or fourth-degree petty misdemeanor charge.
The jury took just over an hour to reach the guilty verdict.
