Waikiki purse snatcher targets pregnant woman
Honolulu police are searching for the suspects who snatched a pregnant woman’s purse on Friday in front of the Waikiki Aquarium.
The incident, which is classified as first degree robbery case, occurred about 10:30 a.m. in the aquarium drop off area. Police said the victim was a 35-year-old local woman, who was 7 months pregnant. They are searching for two men in connection with the crime.
Waikiki Neighborhood Board member Jeff Merz said the Waikiki purse-snatching is concerning and follows a string of other similar incidents that used to be unusual for the district, at least by day.
“Everybody knows the saying, ‘Nothing good happens in Waikiki after midnight,’” Merz said. “We should be concerned that these kinds of crimes are now taking place during the day. It’s the kind of stuff that happens in other more urban cities not here. It’s most alarming that this bold, brazen incident happened in the middle of the day.”
Merz said that he has noticed that police have stepped up patrols in Waikiki, but hopes greater focus will be given to determining why more violent incidents seem to be taking place with more frequency.