Suspect in business
break-ins arrestedPolice are looking for the
18-year-old man's alleged partner
in 30 burglaries since March
Honolulu police have arrested one suspect and are searching for another in an investigation of a two-man burglary team that has allegedly hit 30 local businesses since March.
Police arrested an 18-year-old man yesterday for alleged burglary and drug offenses. The other suspect, a 40-year-old man with 18 felony burglary convictions, remains at large.
Police said the 18-year-old suspect was spotted Tuesday by security guards at 615 Piikoi St. during a suspected burglary attempt. Police were called to the scene, surrounded the suspect and arrested him.
Police said most of the burglaries show the same method of entry: cutting a coconut-size hole in the drywall next to the door of the targeted businesses and reaching in and unlocking the doors.
When the burglars run into obstacles, however, they find other ways inside, police said -- in some cases pushing in air-conditioning units and crawling over walls and through the ceiling.
Once inside, the burglars take whatever they can carry, usually small items such as cash, jewelry, laptops, cameras, CDs, stereos, tools and, in one incident, rib eye steaks, salmon and shrimp, according to police.
Although some office safes appear to have been tampered with, they were not broken into, police said.
Estimated losses to businesses range from loose change to several thousands of dollars.
At one business, security guards reported seeing two men, believed to have been the suspects, walking away from a building that had just been burglarized. According to the guards, both men appeared to be wearing tool belts.
A video surveillance camera showed the older suspect walking out of another building.
Conviction information for the older suspect shows that he was convicted of five burglaries in 1989, 11 burglaries in 1990 and two more burglaries in 1994. In each of those years, he was sentenced to five years in prison but did not serve full terms.
According to an abstract from the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, the older suspect also has been convicted of carrying a firearm. His other convictions include theft and traffic offenses.
The 18-year-old suspect arrested yesterday does not have any adult convictions.
Police said the 30 burglaries usually took place between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. in Pawaa, Kakaako, Waikiki, Ala Moana and in the downtown area. Businesses on King, Bishop and Kamakee streets and Kapiolani Boulevard are among the victims. Police said the targets were varied and included doctor's offices, insurance companies and restaurants.
One source familiar with the investigation said in some cases the burglars hit several commercial tenants in one office building and also may have broken into cars in the parking structure.