Feds to prosecute
purse-snatchings

Tourism comes under the protection
of interstate commerce laws

By Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

Yoshio Ono, a visitor from Japan, was walking on Koa and Kaiulani avenues in Waikiki when a man in a pickup truck grabbed his clutch bag.

While struggling to hold onto the bag, Ono was dragged under the vehicle and suffered a broken leg when it ran over him.

The suspects fled with his bag containing $600, 120,000 yen and a credit card.

"We're one murder away from CNN coverage," U.S. Attorney Steven Alm said yesterday, referring to the negative effect these violent robberies could have on Hawaii's tourist industry.

It's for that reason the federal government is taking an active role in prosecuting suspects for crimes against tourists.

The Hobbs Act allows for federal prosecution of crimes that affect interstate commerce, and in Hawaii's case, tourism is a state industry, Alm said.

Four men were indicted yesterday on 17 total counts of conspiring to rob tourists and robbery. If convicted, they could be sentenced up to 20 years in prison for each charge with no parole.

"If we want to send out one message, it's that if you're going to grab a purse, you're going to prison," Alm said.

"There's no shortage of prison beds in the federal system."

Indicted yesterday were John M. Edwards, Jon L. Piohia and Tor Hoku Rodrigues, all 20 years old, and Vincent John Southon, 23. The indictment alleges they were responsible for robbing tourists during a 16-month period from March 1996 to July 1997.

Two others - Thomas Ching, 31, and Albert Vasconcellos, 23 - were charged with similar offenses on July 24 and Aug. 19, respectively. Ching has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, while Vasconcellos has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and two robberies.

Liberty L.L.B. Lau, 25; Shane J. Oyama, 23; and Roger Weiss, 23, also have pleaded guilty for robbing a Japanese tourist at Fort DeRussy on June 18.

According to statements from Ching and Vasconcellos filed in court, the suspects targeted tourists and worked in three- or four-

member teams who used stolen cars or vans to cruise tourist areas looking for victims.

"When a suitable target was found, the tourist's handbag or pocketbook would be grabbed by someone in the vehicle," Alm said. "If the victim held on, he or she would be dragged along as the car drove away from the scene."

Ching admitted participating in about 20 robberies, while Vasconcellos admitted to involvement in six, Alm said.

A police investigator described those in custody as "only the first wave." There are more than 25 suspects, including a 17-year-old boy who has a juvenile waiver hearing scheduled for tomorrow.

The suspects are all from Waimanalo, the investigator says. During the last 12 months, police handled more than 400 robbery cases, but the number of complaints has dropped with the recent arrests, the investigator added.

David Dodge, president of the Waikiki Improvement Association, praised the efforts of federal investigators and police.

"This is super. It's what we've been waiting for," Dodge said. "The public may not realize the multiplier effect a purse-snatching can have. It impacts the victim and his family, and when the victim returns home, his community will also know what happened."