Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man accused of breaking into a home in Ottoville and stealing several items including a white F-150 Ford truck is now in custody after he was arrested by police last month. When questioned by investigators, the man, Corey Taga said he used the money and smartphone he stole in exchange for drugs from Logotala — a known drug site in Vaitogi.

Taga made his initial appearance in District Court last month.

He is charged with 7 criminal charges including 2 counts of 1st degree burglary, a class B felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than five years nor more than fifteen years; 1 count of 2nd degree burglary; 3 counts of stealing and 1 count of resisting arrest, all class C felonies, punishable by a term of imprisonment of for up to seven years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

Bail is set at $35,000.

THE CASE

On May 31, 2021 in the afternoon around 1p.m, a man walked into the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to file a police report regarding his stolen Ford F-150 truck. The man was later identified as the victim in this case.

The victim also claimed that his home was broken into some time between Saturday night and Monday morning. He further stated to police that his truck keys, a PS4 console with 2 remote controls, a Fire TV stick, Samsung smartphone, and a pair of work boots were stolen from his apartment.

While filing his complaint at the TPS, the victim was notified by his co-worker that he had just observed the victim’s truck passing his home heading southbound on the Vaitogi public highway. Shortly after, the victim notified the officers of that information.

Two police units with several police officers responded, proceeding to the Turtle and Shark overlook in Vaitogi — in an effort to locate the truck, which they did. When the police were seen, the truck immediately reversed and fled the area heading northward towards Fogama’a, where it stopped and the suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into the mountains.

The truck was recovered, and the victim informed of the situation.

One week later on June 6th, the lead investigation officer completed his preliminary report and the said case was transferred to the CID (Criminal Investigation Division) for further investigation. Two days later on June 8, a police captain was assigned to follow up on the matter.

The preliminary report provided a list of possible suspects including a person by the name of Corey Taga, the defendant in this matter.

Investigators from the CID followed up on every lead and interviewed several people possibly connected to the matter, including Taga.

On June 28th, Taga agreed to speak with investigators regarding the matter and he was Mirandized and voluntarily waived his rights and made a verbal statement and later provided his written statement.

According to Taga, on Sunday, May 30, 2021 at 5p.m, he saw a group a people outside of the victim’s apartment at Ottoville. He proceeded to an incomplete apartment structure, which was later identified as Tumu’s apartments across from the victim’s apartment.

According to Taga, he went to Tumu’s apartments and scouted the area and he saw a white F-150 truck parked in the garage and made a plan to steal it.

Around 8p.m, Taga saw the victim and the group of people enter the home, then he snuck up to the garage and stood next to the truck.

According to Taga, he opened the rear door on the driver’s side and successfully gained entry inside the truck. Taga explained that he saw golf clubs and a black bag. Upon opening the black bag, he saw a laptop inside.

Taga allegedly stole the black bag  containing the laptop and returned to the Tumu’s apartment across from the victim’s home, where he took out the laptop, concealed it in his white t-shirt, and discarded the bag.

Taga further stated to investigators that sometime between 2a.m - 3a.m, (Monday, May 31, 2021), he was sitting on the rock wall near the Mormon church and observed a police car. Taga stated that the police car stopped by him, and officers in the car tried talking to him. Taga said that when officers exited the vehicle, he stood up grabbed the laptop that was concealed in his shirt, walked in the opposite direction and then fled on foot.

Taga went on to state that when he turned trying to flee the laptop fell out of his shirt. He then fled eastbound into a shortcut that led up to the dirt road that reaches the Cost-U-Less (CUL) parking lot.

He told investigators that after reaching the dirt road, he cut through the Ottoville grass field and continued on the main road heading towards the Ottoville Mormon church building. He heard music from inside an abandoned house surrounded with a rock wall across from the church. He joined the gathering at the abandoned house and found out that it was friends of his hanging out at the abandoned house. Taga provided names of everyone present inside the abandoned house at that time.

Taga further stated to investigators that some time between 4- 5a.m in the morning (Monday, May 31st), he went back to the victim’s apartment to steal more stuff. He told investigators that he was more interested in money than anything else. He said that he entered through the door in the victim’s garage, gained access to the apartment and started scanning for items to steal.

He then stole the PS4 console that was on the TV stand, along with the two-remote controls and the charger, the Fire TV stick, Samsung smartphone, $40 that was inside the victim’s wallet, a pair of boots, and the truck keys.

After acquiring the items, Taga said that he took the items home but kept the smartphone and the truck keys. Around late morning on May 31st, Taga returned to the victim’s home and took off with the truck. He told investigators that he went with the truck to Logotala in Vaitogi (a known methamphetamine (meth) and marijuana dealing area) to buy drugs.

He stated to investigators that he used the $40 and traded the victim’s Samsung smartphone in exchange for a pipe with ice in it (referring to meth). After getting his drugs from Logotaga, Taga then proceeded southbound and drove to the dirt road near the Turtle and Shark site leading back to the Fogama’a area.

It was then he saw a police unit heading in his direction, so he fled through a back road leading to Fogama’a, to evade the police unit. He abandoned the stolen vehicle and fled on foot into the mountains so that police would be unable to find him.

On June 24th, Taga notified investigators that the PS4 was at his residence. Investigators seized the PS4 console with 2 remote controls along with the charger. Photos were taken and were shown to the victim who confirmed that the PS4 console was his property.

On June 28th, police officers met with an eyewitness in an effort to confirm Taga’s account. The witness told investigators that around 2a.m on Monday morning, May 31st, he was at the Filifili area (a known drug place in Vaitogi) where he saw Taga driving a white F-150 truck. Taga stopped and picked him up, and they went for a ride.

Officers also met up with a female witness at her residence in Iliili regarding this matter. According to the female witness, on May 31st, a white F-150 truck came to Logotala (another known drug place in Vaitogi). Inside the truck was Taga driving. The witness further stated to investigators that she and Taga went to the store to buy cigarettes and he dropped her off back at Logotala before Taga left.

The witness said she asked Taga about the white F-150 truck he was driving, and Taga just smiled and told the witness to just relax and enjoy the ride.