Maui has leads
on sex attacks

A police sketch prompts
phone calls as volunteers
pitch in by posting fliers

WAILUKU » A sketch of a sex assault suspect who attacked a 72-year-old woman in Kahului has prompted several calls to police from residents.

Male suspect: This man allegedly tried to attack a 72-year-old woman in Kahului

"We've had people working leads all day," Sgt. Jaime Becraft said yesterday.

Becraft said fliers with the sketch have been given to the neighborhood crime watch, patrol offices and various businesses. Some patrol officers were specifically assigned to distribute them throughout Maui.

The sketch, released Wednesday, described the suspect as 6 feet to 6 feet 3 inches tall, possibly Chinese-Hawaiian, with a long, slender, clean-shaven face, and who might own a white or light-colored van.

Roy Katsuda, director of the nonprofit senior housing operation Hale Mahaolu, said the sketch of the suspect has been distributed to its 11 sites on Maui and has been posted on bulletin boards and recreational areas.

He said his staff is also passing the sketch out to clients so their relatives and friends have the opportunity to view the suspect.

"We need to help out, and we need help from everyone," Katsuda said.

The latest attack, on Tuesday morning along Holua Drive, was the fourth against an elderly woman by a sexual predator on Maui within a 12-week period.

Police detectives say they have no indication the four are connected, but they have not ruled out the possibility that a serial rapist could be on Maui. Police have been assigning several officers to the investigations.

In this week's attack, the 72-year-old woman was walking when a man grabbed her from behind, but she was able to pull the pin out of a hand-held electronic alarm, prompting him to flee.

On May 30 an 87-year-old woman was raped at 3 a.m. at her home within a radius of 1.5 miles from Hina and Wakea avenues in Kahului.

On June 14 a 78-year-old woman was raped as she walked near Hina and Wakea avenues between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m.

On Aug. 17 an 83-year-old woman was raped in her home on Kenolio Road in Kihei at about 1:30 p.m.