QUESTION: I know my story may seem petty, but I wonder how many times a day this man has pulled off his scam: He's a Japanese male, late 30s, sometimes giving the name Darren, asking for $12 to fix a flat tire. This happened to me in an optician's office in Nuuanu and to my mother's friend in a doctor's office near the Blaisdell Center. He seems to target medical offices. He's very polite, apologetic and claims to know the doctor, who is never there, or that he works for a supply company. He claims he will return the money "with interest" or bring lunch or a "nice piece of sashimi." Giving cash to strangers is a matter of judgment
I was suspicious so I asked him to come back later, while I checked with the supply company. They said they never heard of him, but that the same thing happened at another optician's office. When "Darren" returned, I told him I couldn't give him any money. He said "OK" and left. But, my mother's friend did give him $12.
Because of the way he looks and acts I think a lot of people would give him the benefit of the doubt. He seems harmless enough, but if you can warn your readers, I think that would be great.
ANSWER: There doesn't appear to be a dearth of these apparent panhandlers these days, but there's really nothing police can do besides advise people to be wary of any stranger asking for money.
"For a guy to just ask for money, I can't think of any law that makes it illegal," said Sgt. Jerry Inouye, of HPD's informational resources section. "That's up to the individual to use judgment."
The only way someone could be arrested for doing this is under the city's disorderly conduct ordinance, which says someone can be charged with disorderly conduct if he/she "impedes or obstructs for the purpose of begging or solicit
ing alms from any person in any public place or any place open to the public," Inouye said.
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