Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Taulagi Lavea of Tafuna was initially charged in two separate cases — in the first case he is charged with second degree burglary, attempted burglary and stealing; and in the second case, with stealing and first degree burglary.

However, in a plea agreement with the government accepted by the High Court last week, Lavea pled guilty to two counts of stealing, while the remaining charges were dismissed.

Under the plea agreement, Lavea admits that on Feb. 23, 2020 he unlawfully entered a home in Tafuna at night and removed several items including a pair of shoes, clothes, two big fine mats and a tool box.

Furthermore, Lavea admits that on the night of Feb. 26, he unlawfully entered a store in Tafuna at night without permission for the purpose of committing a crime. While he was inside the store, he stole a small box containing $904 cash and several items, including food, sodas, cigarettes and an iPhone.

According to the plea agreement, the government claims that the owners of the house that was burglarized were off island during the time of the incident. The couple informed police after they returned and discovered that their home had been burglarized.

A man who lives a few blocks from the couple’s home told the couple that a young man by the name of Sturkey came to his house and tried to sell him a tool box for $150. The man said he only gave Sturkey $20 because he was suspicious that the tool box was stolen.

Sturkey was later identified as Lavea, who is the defendant in this case.

When questioned by police, Lavea admitted he entered into the couple’s home and stole several items.

While police were investigating the incident regarding the couple’s home in Tafuna, the owner of another store, also in the Tafuna area, contacted the Tafuna Police Substation for assistance, regarding his store that was burglarized by an unknown person.

Police watched footage captured from the store’s surveillance camera, and easily identified the person in the footage as the defendant.

When questioned by police, Lavea also admitted that he broke into the store in question, at night, and stole several items including cash.

Lavea, who has been in custody since his arrest last year, unable to post a $15,000 surety bond, is scheduled to appear in court next month for sentencing.