The Criminal Investigations Division of Public Safety is investigating an incident at the Industrial Park at Tafuna last night, where escapees from the Territorial Correctional Facility broke into and vandalized businesses in the area.
One of the affected business owners said rocks were used to shatter the glass windows of their store and that’s how the suspect(s) got inside. He said, they don’t have any cash on the premises just supplies and tools. The suspect or suspects caused a lot of damage inside their store and their freezer was also tampered with. “Maybe they needed something to drink,” he remarked.
The two businesses that were broken into were K&K Furniture and Hawthorne Machinery.
A video of Hawthorne showed that the glass on the front door was shattered but no information could be obtained on what was stolen.
KHJ News received confirmation from police that two inmates were responsible, one of whom is repeat escapee, Joeita Faaliga. It’s believed that it was only after a head count of inmates after 9pm, that guards realized two inmates were missing.
Efforts to get a comment from the director of the new Department of Corrections, Tauanuu Semu Tauanu’u were not successful.
Papalii Marion Fitisemanu, who has been serving as warden since last October, said that the CID investigators are investigating the escape and break-ins.
