Traditional feather helmet replica snatched from lobby of Volcano House Hotel

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is asking for the public’s help in identifying two individuals suspected of stealing Hawaiian cultural artwork from the Volcano House Hotel lobby.

Park officials said a contemporary replica of a traditional feather helmet — called a mahiole — worn by high-ranking Hawaiian chiefs was stolen on Jan. 13.

The crimson and yellow mahiole was crafted by renowned local artist Rick San Nicolas and was displayed in a case near the hotel’s front desk.

Newly released images from the hotel’s video surveillance system show a man carrying a large item in a reddish cloth and a woman near the hotel’s front desk around the same time of the theft.