Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On September 21, 2026, a resident of Petesa walked into the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report damage to her vehicle. 

A suspect, later identified as Simpson Sinoti was later charged with Count 1: Property Damage in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both imprisonment and fine.

The defendant was held without bail.

According to the court records, the incident occurred sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. while the vehicle was parked near the owner's residence. The damage was not discovered until later that day, when the vehicle's owner noticed that the rear windshield window had been shattered and extensively cracked.

According to the police report, the vehicle owner explained that she had left her residence at approximately 5:00 a.m. to go to work, unaware that her vehicle had allegedly been damaged several hours earlier.

At approximately 12:10 p.m., she walked to her vehicle, which was parked in the LBJ parking lot area. After entering the vehicle and driving a short distance, she noticed that the rear windshield had been smashed and was extensively cracked.

Concerned about the damage, she returned to the LBJ parking area and approached a security guard to ask whether he had witnessed anything unusual or had information about what might have happened to her vehicle.

However, the security guard reportedly informed her that he had no knowledge of the incident.

The owner subsequently contacted the Fagatogo Police Station to report the damage and was instructed to appear at the station to provide a statement. After completing her initial report, she received a telephone call from her husband informing her that surveillance footage from their landlord's security camera had reportedly captured the incident.

According to the husband, the footage showed that the damage had occurred during the early morning hours, between approximately 1:30 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. The landlord reportedly reviewed the CCTV recording and identified the individual shown in the footage as Sinoti.

The individual was described as wearing a white tank top and gray shorts at the time of the incident.

After receiving the information about the surveillance footage, the vehicle owner was advised to report the matter to the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) because the incident had occurred in the Petesa area, which falls within TPS jurisdiction.

During the investigation, police learned that a neighbor had reportedly heard a loud noise around the time the incident occurred.

According to the witness's statement, he was standing in front of his residence at approximately 2:00 a.m. when he heard a loud cracking sound coming from the nearby area. The noise prompted him to walk toward the roadway to investigate. However, when he reached the area, he did not observe anyone nearby. The witness subsequently noticed that the rear windshield of the vehicle had been cracked.

Police also learned that another neighbor had attempted to notify the vehicle owner and her husband about the incident by knocking on the door of their residence at approximately 2:00 a.m.

However, neither the owner nor her husband heard the knocking.

As a result, the owner reportedly left for work several hours later without realizing that her vehicle had been damaged. The information provided by the neighbors helped investigators establish the approximate time when the incident may have occurred.

According to the police report, the vehicle owner observed a portion of a coconut tree inside her vehicle when examining the damaged rear windshield. Based on the discovery, she believed that the individual responsible may have used the coconut tree material to strike and break the glass.

Investigators accompanied the vehicle owner and her husband to the location of the vehicle to examine and document the damage. During the inspection, officers photographed the shattered rear windshield and documented the condition of the vehicle. 

Police also recovered a portion of the coconut tree believed to have been involved in causing the damage. The material was collected and secured as possible evidence for further investigation.

The report does not indicate whether forensic testing was conducted on the recovered material or whether investigators conclusively determined that it was the object used to break the windshield.

In addition to examining the vehicle and collecting physical evidence, police reviewed the CCTV footage provided in connection with the incident. According to the report, the recording was preserved as evidence for the continuing investigation.

The surveillance footage reportedly played a significant role in identifying Sinoti as the individual suspected of involvement in the incident.

However, the report does not provide a detailed description of the actions shown in the recording or specify whether the footage clearly captured the moment the windshield was damaged.

Investigators documented the information provided by the vehicle owner, her husband, and the witnesses, along with the physical evidence recovered from the vehicle.

Based on the information provided, Sinoti was identified as a suspect after the landlord reportedly recognized him in the surveillance footage.

However, the police report does not indicate whether Sinoti was located, interviewed, arrested, or formally charged in connection with the incident.

The report also does not establish a motive for the alleged damage or indicate whether there had been any previous disagreement between Sinoti and the vehicle owner.

No estimated repair cost or total value of the damage was provided.

The matter was documented by police for further investigation, with the surveillance footage, photographs, witness statements, and recovered material retained as evidence.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on Sept. 24, 2026.

As with all criminal cases, the allegations outlined in court filings remain accusations at this stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision.]