Victim in phone theft tracks down alleged suspect

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On May 18, 2025, a suspect was being held by port security guards for allegedly stealing one of the guards' phones. It was later discovered that the victim’s phone had drugs hidden inside the phone cover.

Gaupule Fulu was arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Stealing, a class C felony punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed seven years, a fine of not more than five years, or both imprisonment and fine.

The defendant’s bail was set at $5,000.

According to the court affidavit, on May 18, at around 7:15 p.m., police officers conducting a patrol spotted a man being held down by port security in Fagatogo.

The investigation later revealed that the suspect allegedly stole a phone belonging to one of the port security guards (victim). The security guards transferred custody of the suspect, who was later identified as Gaupule Fulu, to the authorities, where he was placed in the police unit.

One of the security guards approached the police officers and identified himself as the victim. The victim was interviewed and provided both a verbal and written statement.

According to the victim, he works two jobs: as a security guard for a private enterprise and at port security. He stated that on the date of the incident, around 6:00 a.m., he started his shift at his private job when he saw the suspect walking outside the building where he asked him what he was doing there.

The suspect responded he was there to “hangout”. The victim stated he told the suspect to go to the market if he wanted to hangout.

The victim further explained that around noon time, he fell asleep and woke up around 1:00 p.m. when he was about to end his shift. He then noticed his phone was missing.

When he went home, he used his sister’s phone to call his phone. A familiar voice answered the call and the victim claimed that it sounded exactly the same as the suspect’s voice when he came around his work place in the morning. The victim also claimed that the suspect pretended to be someone else and told him that the phone was sold to him for $100.

Moreover, the victim then told the suspect that he would be starting his shift at around 6:00 p.m. at the port and that he would give him $100 if he gave his phone back.The victim stated he told the suspect that in an attempt to catch the suspect.

At around 7:00 p.m., he spotted Fulu walking towards Utulei. He called out to the suspect and told him that he wanted to talk to him. Fulu came to him and he asked him three times if he came around noon at his private work place and the suspect replied “No”.

At this time, he told his co-worker to watch Fulu while he called the police.

Fulu however attempted to flee and tripped over the sidewalk where he scraped his knee and that’s they were able to catch the suspect. The victim further stated that as they tried to pick up the suspect, his phone fell out of his pocket before the police arrived.

The suspect was then secured inside the police unit and transported to the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) for further investigation and processing.

During apprehension, authorities noticed bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and continued verbal outbursts and the suspect couldn’t keep still as if he was under the influence of drugs.

Upon arrival at the FPS at around 7:30 p.m., the suspect resisted the officers but was eventually brought into the station and was also treated by the EMS.

Fulu was Mirandized to which he understood and provided a statement.

He admitted to stealing the victim’s phone when he was asleep. He also stated that he had hid a baggie that contained meth in the back of the victim’s phone cover.

Police officers went back to check the victim’s phone cover and discovered a small baggie. The baggie was referred to the DPS Vice and Narcotics unit for further investigation.

The suspect was booked and later transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility for confinement to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 35-year-old U.S National.