Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On April 21, 2025, a business woman contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report that her vehicle was stolen.

The suspect police found driving the vehicle was later arrested and charged with Count 1: Tampering in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

According to the court affidavit, on Apr. 21st, at approximately 8:19 a.m., a store owner (later identified as the victim) called TPS to report that her vehicle had been stolen.

The victim stated that her vehicle was taken while it was parked in front of her store. She further explained that she had just returned from town after completing paperwork to release a container for her store; and, upon arrival at her store, she left her vehicle running with all the doors closed but unlocked and went inside the store to get a drink and breakfast.

It was when she exited the store that she discovered that her vehicle was no longer in the parking lot. At that time, she contacted the TPS to report the incident and provide the vehicle’s information to authorities.

Police officers issued an APB alert to all patrol units communicating the vehicle’s plate number and description, instructing that the vehicle be impounded if located.

At about 8:36 a.m., the victim received a phone call from her husband who informed her that he had just seen the vehicle traveling eastbound in front of the stadium. The victim relayed the information to the DPS, who dispatched a police unit in the area to locate the vehicle, which the police officers were able to do.

A traffic stop was conducted and the vehicle was pulled over. The driver of the alleged stolen vehicle was identified as Ms. Tausisi’i Aiomalaga Vaimili. The suspect was apprehended and transported to the TPS for questioning.

Upon arrival at the TPS, the suspect was Mirandized to which she understood and agreed to provide a statement.

According to the suspect, she claimed that she found the said vehicle abandoned on the street with the engine running and the driver’s door open. When asked why she took the vehicle, she didn’t want to answer. However, the suspect admitted that she entered the vehicle and drove off knowing it didn't belong to her.

The suspect also stated that when she got into the car, she observed a purse containing a substantial amount of money. When the suspect was asked to specify the location where she found the vehicle, she did not provide any details.

Based on the suspect’s statement and the circumstances of the incident, Vaimili was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility pending the next available sitting of the District Court.

The affidavit does not explain if or when the money and vehicle were returned to the victim.