Lahaina Police arrested three men late Sunday evening for breaking into at least 4 homes in the Black Rock Beach area, and stealing property. 28-year-old Tim Luahi and his cousin 25-year-old Ollie Luahi are facing multiple counts of robbery and grand larceny, but it is the role of the third man, 30-year-old Mark Me’e that has everyone talking. A driver for Fleetaleet, a commercial freight spin-off of the popular Hailoha ridesharing service, Me’e claims he had no idea that his customers were thieves, and thought he was just helping them clear out a number of newly purchased homes. Police say there are no charges filed against Me’e, and he was released soon after his arrest.
Launched last year, Fleetaleet offers a “quick, and affordable solution to anyone needing last minute, or infrequent commercial trucking services,” according to Nella Lawe, Hailoha Vice President. She says, “Drivers get sick, trucks breakdown, automated trucking is expensive, and long-term leasing can be a hassle. We recognized a need in the market for real-time freight services and took advantage. Fleetaleet has provided hundreds of companies with on-demand trucking solutions, and moved millions of pounds of their goods safely, and in a timely manner. Our drivers are safe, and we have a higher customer satisfaction rating than any traditional freight company.” Nonetheless, there are many homeowners this morning who are not singing the company’s praises.
According to Me’e the night started out as any other, until he got an alert that someone was in need of a box truck. “I had been shuttling people all day from the beach to hotels and locations along Front Street. I was getting pretty burned out, and then I saw someone needed a moving truck and driver for a 4 hour job. I thought it’d be a great way to break up the monotony, and end the night with a big job. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened.” Mark says he met the Luahi’s at a beach house North of Black Rock Beach, and while nothing seemed unusual at first, the night began to take a strange turn. “Maybe it was just because I was so tired that I wasn’t thinking straight or something, but I really didn’t think anything was wrong until I saw the police lights.”
From his statement to the police:
“I arrive at the address I was given to find two guys wearing half face tactical masks, and standing by a pile of electronics and some rolled up rugs. I joked with them that I just drove the truck, and didn’t know anything about robbing banks. They said they were from the mainland, and were worried about catching the flu, and the masks were the only thing available at the veil station shop. They explained that they had just purchased a bunch of investment properties in Lahaina, and needed to do walk-throughs and make sure nothing was left behind. They loaded up the truck, and off we went to the next location.
They didn’t seem to have the right addresses, and we drove around for a while, but I didn’t mind too much because the meter was running. We finally got to the next home, and I waited for them to do their inspection. Again, they came out with a bunch of electronics and a jewelry box this time. I remember thinking that whoever left their jewelry behind was an idiot. In retrospect, I guess I was the idiot.
This went on for a while. I’m not sure exactly how long because I was so tired. I did think it was strange that they never brought out any furniture, and almost asked about it, but thought maybe they were planning on renting some of the places furnished. At this point I could barely keep my eyes open, and asked how many more houses they needed to clear out. They said there was one left; so we headed out.
I guess I had fallen asleep waiting for them, because the next thing I know there were lights everywhere, and someone is screaming for me to get out of the truck. Before I can do anything, the window shatters, and I’m face down in the driveway with a taser in my back. Not only did I not end the night with a big payday, but I’m tangled up in some sort of burglary ring in my hometown. I’ve gone out on some bad calls before, but this one takes the cake.”
Police say this is not the first time they have run into trouble with criminals using Fleetaleet for illegal activity. There have been numerous incidents of the company’s drivers being hired to transport stolen property, black market goods, and even drugs. Fleetaleet says they have a vetting process in place for drivers, and follow all applicable laws. Despite their assurances, Mayor Albert Cravalho says the company needs to do more to ensure the safety of the public.
“All a person needs to be a Fleetaleet driver is: an internet connection, access to a commercial vehicle, and the ability to click yes to a series of questions,” says Cravalho. “A 17-year-old boy, registered as a driver with Fleetaleet, rolled a tanker truck on the Honoapi’ilani Highway a few weeks ago just South of town. The spill shutdown traffic for hours as the site was cleaned. They can, and need to do better. I’m a little more understanding with them when it comes to this robbery thing. Clearly, this Mark guy needs to find wherever he put his common sense, and the company needs to reassess if this line of work is for him. If it was me, I wouldn’t hire him if he was the last driver left on Earth.”
