ADDICTION TREATMENT FACILITY BURGLED

A burglary at the Hina Mauka drug and alcohol rehabilitation and
prevention center earlier this week has puzzled and bewildered members
of its staff.

Roughly 150 drug-test kits and one computer were stolen from the
non-profit facility, which offers outpatient, residential and day
treatment for those with alcohol and other drug addictions.

The damage and losses are estimated to be at least $2,000, Clinical
Supervisor Nestor Batalan said.

There is one Kaua'i Hina Mauka center, on Haleko Road in Lihu'e, and
several on O'ahu.

The exact time of the burglary is not clear, as Batalan was told about
the incident roughly 15 minutes before the center was scheduled to
open its doors Tuesday, he said.

"One of my staff called me about 7:45 (a.m.), telling me they had
broken in through the window."

The drug tests that were stolen are comprehensive, designed to detect
marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, PCP and opiates in urine, Hina
Mauka Counselor Meg Stouder said.

"They're worth at least $20 each," she added.

Batalan said the stolen tests -- which are presumptive positive or
negative and don't require lab work -- are more accurate than many
that are for sale online or at the drug store.

"We're the only ones that could order those," he said. "One of the
ideas I was tossing around is that because of that, maybe the
(burglar/s) are supposed to undergo a urinalysis."

But the idea that tests were stolen for personal use doesn't explain
the motive behind the missing computer, Batalan said.

"They chose the computer that was way, deep inside the office," he
said. "But that one doesn't have any important data. The ones that
have confidential information weren't touched."

The burglar(s) also dumped out the contents of several desks inside
the building, Stouder said.

Hina Mauka's staff is continuing to conduct business as usual --
broken window and all -- but Batalan said the facility will beef up
its security in the near future.

"We'll be in contact with our headquarters in Honolulu to work on
getting an alarm and more padlocks on all the doors and equipment," he
said.

In the meantime, Batalan said, "I hope the cops get this guy."

Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to call the Kaua'i
Police Department.