Female robber hits Bank of Hawaii
Honolulu police are asking for the public’s help in finding a woman thought to have been the robber Friday morning of the Chinatown branch of Bank of Hawaii.
Police described the woman as in her 30s, 5 feet tall and between 180 and 200 pounds. She has black hair and was wearing dark shorts and a red shirt with a floral design.
Police said that she went up to a teller at the bank, at North King and Maunakea streets, at 10:16 a.m. and demanded money.
She fled on foot via the North King Street entrance.
Police said no weapon was seen. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300, or *CRIME on a cellphone.
Dryer likely cause of garage blaze
The source of the fire that destroyed the garage of the Ewa Beach home belonging to police union President Tenari Ma’afala on June 10 could not be determined, but appears to have been electrical in nature, Honolulu fire investigators have determined.
Ma’afala told reporters that his wife heard an explosion and saw the garage on fire only minutes after she had placed a load of laundry into a dryer there at about 5:30 a.m.
There is a "strong possibility" that the fire was started by the dryer, but investigators could not rule out that it might have been caused by some other electrical source in the area, said Capt. Terry Seelig, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman.
There was nothing suspicious about the fire, Seelig said.
The fire was confined mainly to the garage and caused about $100,000 in damage to the structure and contents, which included police gear and sports paraphernalia.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Robbery suspect turns himself in
A robbery suspect surrendered to police in Lihue Monday after police asked the public’s help in finding him, a Kauai County news release said Friday.
Kauai police issued a CrimeStoppers bulletin in February for Akoni Davis, 22, saying the Kapaa man was wanted for failing to appear in court.
Davis was one of three suspects arrested in an Aug. 21 robbery in the parking lot of the Safeway store at Kauai Village.
One of Davis’ alleged accomplices, Vicente Hilario, 24, had also been charged with the murder of Aureo Moore, 34. Moore was found shot to death near Anahola Beach Park on Dec. 17. Hilario will be tried later this year.
Davis was not charged in connection with the murder. He was wanted on one count of failure to appear and two counts of criminal contempt of court after he did not show up in court on Feb. 9. His bail was set at $200,000.
Police warn of scam via cellphones
Hawaii County police are warning the public about an apparent financial scam that begins with cellphone messages promising a lower interest rate on credit cards.
The scam appears widespread since numerous people have reported getting such messages, police said.
Police caution the public not to give out credit card number or personal information on the phone or the Internet.
If a phone call sounds legitimate, people should call the financial institution’s phone number listed in the phone book, not a number provided in a phone message, email or letter, police advise.
