‘Ice’ users biggest The head of the Honolulu Police Department's new auto theft task force said almost every one of the 69 people they have arrested this year are either crystal methamphetamine users or dealers.
auto thieves
A police task force has
arrested 69 people this yearMore security layers
help deter auto theftBy Rod Antone
Star-BulletinIt is a deadly combination, according to Detective Bruce Swann, head of the Auto Theft and Commercial Crimes task force, or ATACC.
"It's a common theme," Swann said. "The thief is stealing a car, and he wants to get away ... and when you mix into that the crystal methamphetamine side of it, it makes for a volatile situation."
Swann described two incidents this year when auto theft suspects involved in crystal meth, or "ice," have panicked when confronted by police. One of them, Levi Esperas, also known as Levi Laa, shot and wounded police officers during a traffic stop along the H-2 freeway.
Laa, who was killed by the officers' return fire, was suspected of being part of an auto-theft ring that stole more than a dozen cars from a shipping company.
Swann said another example is Anna Llanos, whom ATACC members in February spotted driving a stolen Acura in Makakilo. Police said Llanos tried to escape and, in the process, ran over an officer's foot while trying to ram another officer's car. Llanos was eventually charged with assault, robbery and criminal property damage.
Besides those two violent incidents, however, Swann said the task force is doing what it is supposed to be doing: concentrating on known auto thieves and catching them in the act.
"A lot of times, we'll know a person is responsible for a multitude of auto thefts," Swann said. "It's just a question of being able to catch him in the car, being able to catch him driving it. That's the key in auto thefts."
Swann is one of 12 members of ATACC, which began in January. The task force is made up of five detectives and sergeants from various backgrounds, such as robbery and narcotics, as well as auto theft. The other seven members are patrol officers from different island districts.
ATACC was created after a surge of auto thefts hit Oahu last year.
According to HPD's annual report, the numbers jumped to 5,214 incidents in 2000 from 3,997 thefts in 1999.
So far, Swann said, ATACC's attack on the auto-theft world has resulted in the arrest of 69 suspects, of whom 63 have been charged.
Swann said the difference this year has been more surveillance. "We pinpoint one guy and say, 'OK, he's creating a lot of havoc, he's stealing a lot of cars.'
"I can put my manpower on this person and go ahead and target this guy, catch him driving a stolen car."
While Swann said ATACC has been successful in tracking down and capturing auto thieves, several remain at large. Five are pictured above.
Anyone with any information on auto thieves is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
The Honolulu Police Department endorses a "layered" approach to deterring auto theft. The theory is that the more layers of security motorists have for their vehicles, the more frustrated auto thieves will become. More security layers
help deter auto theftStar-Bulletin staff
The first layer is common sense.
Police say you should always secure your vehicle, even if parking for brief periods, by removing your keys from the ignition, locking your doors, closing all your windows and parking in a well-lit area.
The second layer of protection is a visible or audible device that alerts thieves that your vehicle is protected.
They include audible alarms, steering-wheel locks, steering-column collars, theft-deterrent decals, tire locks, brake/gas pedal locks and window etchings.
The third layer is a device that prevents the thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle.
Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Popular third-layer devices include smart keys, fuse cutoffs, kill switches and starter, ignition and fuel disablers.
The final layer of protection includes tracking systems that emit a signal to police or monitoring stations when the vehicle is reported stolen.
However, these systems are not commonly used in Hawaii.