HILO, Hawai'i — Kona police detectives yesterday charged a Hilo man with burglary and auto theft after he was arrested in a van that had been stolen during a break-in last month at the Hawai'i Island Food Bank in Honalo.

Paul Sisneros, 31, was arrested Tuesday. Officers who searched the van said they discovered a stolen firearm, ammunition, property taken from the food bank, property taken from another burglary, a small amount of crystal methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Sisneros was charged yesterday on auto theft, firearms and drug counts, as well as receiving stolen property.

He was being held at Kona District Station cellblock in lieu of $28,000 bail.

The food bank in Honalo was burglarized over the Thanksgiving weekend. Thieves made off with the 1991 van, a safe that contained about $2,000 in donated cash and checks, and other items.

Employees of the McKenna Motor Cars dealership in Kona earlier this month donated a replacement van that employees and other donors had filled with food and other goods for the food bank.

Anyone with information about the food bank case or other recent burglaries is asked to call Det. Mark Haggerty at 326-4646, ext. 277, or the nonemergency police number 935-3311.

People who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept strictly confidential.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.