The suspect in a Kahala bank
robbery is caught in the Pecos
River Cafe parking lot

By Jaymes K. Song
and Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

Fugitive bank robbery suspect Albert Raymond Batalona was apprehended this morning in the parking lot of an Aiea restaurant, police said.

Police found him stopped in a vehicle at about 6:50 a.m. in the parking lot of Pecos River Cafe at 99-106 Kamehameha Highway. He was taken into custody and transported to the main police station.

Batalona had eluded capture for more than a week after the July 7 armed robbery of American Savings Bank in Kahala.

He was accused of firing more than 20 shots at a patrol officer following the robbery, then hijacking a delivery van and making his escape.

Police said they were flooded with tips, and there was a $45,000 reward for information leading to Batalona's arrest.

Police this morning would not say if tips led to Batalona's capture.

Bobby Santiago, manager of the Pecos River Cafe, said that when he arrived at work at 6 this morning he didn't notice anything unusual.

An hour later, he was called by a local radio station and asked if he knew anything about the arrest in his parking lot, which overlooks Pearl Harbor.

"I looked out the window, and sure enough, there were about 50 police officers shaking hands and congratulating each other," said Santiago.

"There never was any gunfire or anything," said Santiago, whose restaurant/bar doesn't have breakfast service.

"It has been really quiet."

Law enforcement officials had urged Batalona to turn himself in, fearing an eventual confrontation. In the past 48 hours, he allegedly contacted one television station, KITV, and at least one or more radio stations to make public statements.

He expressed a desire to see his young son, who was taken away from him by Child Protective Services, and a fear of police.

Detective Letha DeCaires, CrimeStoppers coordinator, said Batalona switched cars frequently while he was on the run.

"It appears he's traveled around in numerous cars," she said. "We don't know how many or have any descriptions.

"We had a call (yesterday) and tracked one car from a dealership to four places before we got to the registered owner. The guy looked a lot like Batalona," she said.

Batalona is one of four men suspected in the bank robbery.

Suspects Jacob Travis Hayme, Roger Dailey and Sean Matsunaga -- who was scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 31 for burglarizing the Daiei store on Kaheka Street last March 3 -- were taken into custody earlier this week.

Dailey, who has been cooperating with the investigation, has been placed in protective custody.