Robbery suspect was
released from prison
just 2 months agoAn affidavit says that
Darren Kaminaka admitted
to the crimes
A person suspected of robbing Oahu banks three days in a row last week had been out of prison about two months following a conviction for a 2001 bank robbery.
One of the banks Darren Kaminaka is charged with robbing last week is the same one he robbed three years ago.
The FBI charged Kaminaka, 36, in federal court yesterday with robbing the American Savings Bank's Ala Moana branch Thursday, First Hawaiian Bank's Kapahulu branch Friday and Central Pacific Bank's Daiei Kaheka branch Saturday.
Following his arrest Saturday, Kaminaka admitted committing all three robberies and identified himself in the surveillance photographs, according to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Brian Johnson.
On Friday, Kaminaka's mother identified him as the suspect in the American Savings Bank robbery after seeing surveillance photographs in a Honolulu CrimeStoppers alert, the affidavit said.
While still in Honolulu police custody, Kaminaka said, "I just got out of federal prison for bank robbery, I don't know why I did this, I was pressured by some guys," according to the affidavit.
Police arrested Kaminaka at a Keeaumoku Street massage parlor less than an hour after the Central Pacific Bank robbery. A witness spotted him getting into a taxi after leaving the bank and called police with the license number.
The driver told police he picked Kaminaka up on Monsarrat Avenue and drove him to Daiei Kaheka, waited, then drove Kaminaka to Keeaumoku Street.
Kaminaka pleaded guilty to the Jan. 4, 2001, robbery of American Savings Bank's Ala Moana branch, and was sentenced to 27 months in an Oregon federal prison. After serving additional time for failing to return to a halfway house, Kaminaka was released in August.
