Theft suspects caught on video surrender to police

Four of the six suspects caught on video in a theft from Toys R Us at Windward Mall surrendered to police Tuesday.

The women turned themselves in at the Kaneohe Police Substation, attorney Myles Breiner said. They were booked for investigation of second-degree theft and released without charges pending investigation.

Two more suspects, another woman and a man, are expected to turn themselves in by the end of the week.

Police last week released still images from a mall security camera and asked the public for help in identifying six people who were photographed carrying large, boxed toys through an employee service corridor to a vehicle in the parking lot.

Breiner said 24 toys with an estimated total value of more $300 were recovered Tuesday.

The women dropped off the toys at Breiner’s office on Christmas Eve after they contacted him the previous day.

Between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1, a witness reported seeing five women and a man removing boxed toys from a display at Toys R Us.

Police said the witness reported seeing the group make several trips to the parking lot carrying toys.

Breiner said the women are remorseful. Most of the suspects, who are in their early to mid-20s, faced hard times and made impulsive decisions, Breiner said.

Katelyn Leondi, manager of corporate communications of Toys R Us in New Jersey, said officials at the headquarters were not aware of the theft and referred media questions to Honolulu police. Police spokeswoman Michelle Yu said, "The investigators are continuing to work on it."

Second-degree theft is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

In another holiday theft caught on video, a stolen wreath was returned by an unidentified man on Christmas Eve, two days after the video was posted on YouTube.

Attached was an unsigned handwritten note that read, "This is the wreath that was taken from the elevator. I’am (sic) sorry that it was taken."

On the night of Dec. 15, a surveillance camera in the elevator of the former Hawaiian Dredging building in Kapahulu recorded a woman and a man entering the elevator from Side Street Inn on Da Strip.

The woman lifted the wreath off the elevator wall and walked out with it.

Scott Higashi, executive vice president of sales at Prudential Locations’ headquarters, which occupies the two upper floors of the building, said that while the stolen item was just a wreath, Prudential is happy the culprit he dubbed "Auntie, the wreath bandit" realized she made a mistake and that the wreath had been returned.

"It’s never been about catching the thief; it’s about doing the right thing, and they did," Higashi said.

The unidentified man returned the wreath to a security guard at the building sometime after 10 p.m. Christmas Eve.

A video of the wreath theft went viral after it was posted Thursday. As of yesterday the video had been viewed about 15,000 times.

Higashi joked that the wreath is now under lock and key in their corporate office. "The wreath is safe in our possession," he said.

Robbie Acoba, operations manager at Side Street, quipped, "You gotta sign out for it." The restaurant received dozens of calls from the community concerning the wreath theft, he said.

Acoba said it was good the wreath was returned but that the culprit should have returned it herself. "I would’ve returned it in person. That would be more classy," he said.

Hawaii News Now video: Suspected Toys R Us thieves surrender