Police find ‘kissing
burglar’ suspect

HPD says Mililani residents n
longer need to feel threatened

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By Rod Antone
rantone@starbulletin.com

Honolulu police detectives believe they have caught Mililani's kissing burglar.

Police said the 39-year-old male suspect, who was arrested Thursday, has been linked to several cases in the area involving a male burglar telling his victims to kiss him after he stole their belongings.

"Certainly we were concerned because of the sexual overtones," said HPD Detective Robert Carvalho. "But the investigation does not show that he was a sexual predator. Victims complied because of what they thought the suspect might do."

"While there were no threats made and no force used, victims were terrorized, traumatized," said Carvalho. "We just want the people in Mililani to know that this guy has been caught and not to worry."

Police said the first reported case was Aug. 26 at Mililani Waena Elementary. A 23-year-old special-education teacher told police that while she was working late, a man entered her classroom, turned off the lights and demanded money.

According to police, the teacher gave the suspect the money and then tried to leave. The suspect grabbed the teacher and told her to kiss him. The victim kissed the suspect on the cheek and ran off, after which police said the suspect ran off. The next kissing burglary happened on Sept. 11 at a Hokuala Street residence. Police said a 40-year-old female resident there was walking down her hallway when someone grabbed her from behind.

Police said the male suspect demanded money, then after getting the cash asked the victim to kiss him. After the victim kissed the suspect, he left and stopped to steal money from the victim's purse, which was in her car, police said.

The latest case took place Tuesday at an Alapoai Street home, according to police, who said the suspect confronted a 31-year-old female resident and demanded money and car keys. The suspect then ordered the victim into the bathroom and told her to lie on the ground. Police said the suspect asked the victim to kiss him, but she refused. The suspect fled by stealing the victim's vehicle.

Two days later, Pearl City police spotted the stolen vehicle and made a traffic stop.

Officers said there were two men in the vehicle and that the driver met the description of the suspect in the kissing-burglary cases.

Police arrested the suspect for auto theft and drug offenses, then later arrested him for robbery, burglary and kidnapping in the Tuesday case.