Burglary reported after alleged suspect’s hat found near attic door
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On October 28, 2024, a female individual contacted the police station reporting an alleged burglary.
The suspect fled the scene and efforts to locate her were unsuccessful however, she was charged with Count 1: Trespass, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both.
The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.
According to the affidavit, on October 28th, at approximately 5:54 p.m, a female individual (later identified as the victim) reported an incident allegedly involving another female individual, Fa’afili Lesa (suspect).
The victim claimed she saw the suspect attempting to leave her residence. The victim stated that the suspect had been inside the house but allegedly fled the scene upon being discovered.
Police officers were assigned to the case and upon arrival at the scene, they observed three women including the victim and two men standing in front of the property.
The victim appeared visibly anxious and concerned. As the officers approached the victim, one of the officers noticed that the attic door was slightly open and a hat lay nearby.
The victim identified the hat and claimed it belonged to the suspect.
At about 6:15 p.m., the authorities conducted a preliminary interview with the victim. The victim explained that she and her aunt had arrived at the house for a routine check.
Upon entering the premises, they immediately noticed that several windows were open. It raised their suspicions as they typically ensured that all windows were closed during their visits. This unusual finding led them to believe that someone may have entered the home unlawfully.
Furthermore, the victim described an alarming encounter: When she attempted to open the front door, an unknown woman suddenly opened it from the inside. Upon seeing her, the woman quickly fled the house, leaving behind her hat. The authorities later discovered this hat in the back of a white truck parked in front of the residence.
The affidavit also stated that the woman who fled was later identified as Fa’afili Lesa, a known drug addict in the village with a history of multiple arrests.
The victim also shared that the house had been assigned to her two younger sisters for oversight and they were responsible for monitoring the property.
Unfortunately, both of her sisters were currently off-island which added to her concerns about the home’s security.
After interviewing the victim, officers also spoke to a male individual (later identified as a witness) who was assisting with the routine checks of the residence. The witness escorted the officers through the house where they observed a disorganized living room with trash and various items scattered across the floor. Additionally, they also noticed that the electricity was disconnected.
During their inspection, the witness directed the officers to the back door where they observed a hole in the door and it was covered with a screen wire from the outside. The witness stated that he believed that this may have been the point of entry.
At around 6:28 p.m., the witness gave a written statement stating that the victim had picked him up to assist with the routine check as he often does this task on his own majority of the time. They arrived at the residence around 5:00 P.M, and he conducted a walk through of the property to ensure everything was in order.
However, when he reached the back door, he noticed the hole in it which was covered by a screen wire from the outside. The witness suspected that an object, possibly a knife, might have caused the hole, making it a point of entry.
Moreover, the witness explained that after noticing the damaged door, he returned to the front of the house to retrieve a ladder, and began climbing to inspect the attic. As he was climbing the ladder, he heard someone inside the house attempting to open the front door.
He then observed a light skinned female wearing a Chicago Bulls cap. The suspect immediately fled the scene and ran away as fast as she could.
At about 7:00 p.m., the officers conducted a thorough patrol of the premises in an effort to locate the suspect. The authorities searched the nearby streets and locations where the suspect might have fled. Despite their efforts, the officers were unsuccessful in locating the suspect.