HPD seeks help in
unsolved bank heists

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By Rod Antone
rantone@starbulletin.com

Honolulu police say that so far, they are two suspects away from having a perfect "solve" record for bank robbery cases this year. Police say that thanks to callers, most bank robbery suspects are identified as soon as the public is able to view bank surveillance photos through local media.

"It's very commonplace to get a call that solves the case the same night or the next morning because people are calling in after they watch the news or read the paper," said CrimeStoppers coordinator Letha DeCaires. "Lots of the arrests are within 24 hours."

The latest arrest took place yesterday after family members of a man suspected of robbing a Wahiawa bank earlier this week persuaded him to surrender to police. The suspect had allegedly escaped on a bicycle after robbing the Bank of Hawaii located on California Avenue Monday morning.

That same night, however, police said family members identified the suspect from a CrimeStoppers surveillance photo that was aired on several television stations.

Despite the same sort of media coverage, however, other cases this year remain unsolved. They include the robbery of the Kaimuki branch of Central Pacific Bank located in the Waialae Avenue Times Supermarket on April 9.

Police believe the suspect is a homeless person and describe him as 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, 160-180 pounds, with a medium build, and blond to gray "messy" receding hair.

Another case that remains unsolved this year involves a suspect who dressed up in a pink and green flowered muumuu to rob the Kapahulu branch of City Bank on August 31. Ten days earlier police believe the same suspect also robbed the Waikiki branch of First Hawaiian Bank located at 2181 Kalakaua Ave. He was not wearing a muumuu in that robbery.

While there are no suspects in either case yet, police and FBI investigators are checking to see whether a bank robber caught in Portland, Ore., may be the same muumuu bank robber. Police say the Portland suspect was caught a week after the Kapahulu robbery. They say the Oregon banks were robbed under "similar circumstances."

Police are also hoping for help to solve several bank robberies last year. They include the "Casper" or "mummy" bank robber who robbed the Liliha First Hawaiian Bank on July 5, 2000 and the "machete man" who robbed the Kaneohe branch of the Bank of Honolulu on March 9, 2000.

DeCaires says it's not too late for someone out there to recall a face they might have seen or something they might have heard.

"We've had a number of people who said they went to high school with that person or that they recognize the person from their substance abuse programs," she said. "These guys are from all walks of life."