Abduction of girl,
9, unsettles neighbors

Kalihi residents fear more trouble
with the suspect still at large

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By Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.com

Residents in part of upper Kalihi Valley are on edge after a 9-year-old Kalihi girl was abducted Friday from her parents' bedroom.

The parents are so afraid for their safety that they no longer stay in the four-unit home.

The girl was abducted about 1:30 a.m. but ran home minutes later when her abductor was frightened off when motion sensor lights outside the home went on, police said.

Police have released a composite sketch of the girl's abductor. Some neighbors said the drawing resembles someone they have seen before. Police have no suspects, however.

Another family is planning to move out of the four-unit dwelling at the end of the month, said Vincent Go, whose parents own the Kalihi Valley home from which the girl was abducted. The girl's father is Go's cousin.

Some people living in houses nearby also are taking precautions.

One neighbor installed a second surveillance camera at her front door. Another neighbor is installing motion sensor lights and a door with a deadbolt.

Tina Amado lives down the same driveway where the girl was abducted. "I'm actually very paranoid," she said.

Amado already had one surveillance camera at her front door so she could watch her two small children play outside while she cooked inside. After Friday's abduction, she had a second camera installed, and she no longer allows her children to play outside.

Sixto Amian now leaves his front and back lights on all night. He lives down the road from where the girl was abducted. "My kids are a little afraid now."

Amian bought motion sensor lights and a door with a deadbolt the day after the abduction.

Friday's abduction was the second break-in and at least the third overnight entry burglary in the neighborhood in the past month, police said.

Last month, Go said, a burglar entered his parent's unit through a kitchen window while his parents slept in the living room, then went to their bedroom and exited through the bedroom window. The burglar left with $2,000 in cash, a camcorder and a pair of binoculars, he said.

Also last month, a person or persons removed some jalousies from his sister and brother-in-law's bedroom window and knocked a television remote control off the window ledge, Amian said. That turned on the television, frightening off the would-be burglar or burglars, he said.

Go said another neighbor's home was broken into a week after his parents' unit was burglarized.

Lydia Cabang said she has lived next to the Gos' home for more than 16 years, and this has never happened before.

"That's what we told to Vincent's wife: 'Only you guys happening like that, never happen to any of us,'" Cabang said. "So we try to tell her that maybe it's somebody you know."

Cabang said her husband recognized the sketch as someone he has seen play basketball at the home many times.

Police believe the suspect is in his late teens or early 20s, has short dark hair and is clean-shaven. He is of medium height with medium build and was wearing a dark-colored jacket, striped shirt and blue shorts.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Honolulu police Detective Phillip Lavarias at 529-3847, or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular telephone.

Another neighbor suspects the abductor is someone the family knows or at least someone who is familiar with the home.

"How would he know to walk all the way to the back and pick up the girl?" said Edward Dayoan.

Amado said the sketch resembles someone who lives nearby.