Serial offender charged after allegedy stealing from Saks Fifth Avenue in Waikiki

A man known for being a serial property offender was charged Tuesday after allegedly stealing from Saks Fifth Avenue in Waikiki.

Robert Narito Jr., 43, was charged with habitual property crime and third-degree promoting a dangerous drug in connection to the theft of beauty care products from the store on Saturday, the Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney said in a news release.

Narito allegedly entered Saks Fifth Avenue and took the items, but a store employee detained him until Honolulu Police Department officers arrived. Police reportedly also found a bag of crystal methamphetamine in Narito’s pocket.

Narito was arrested and is being held on $11,000 bail.

The prosecuting attorney department said that Narito has 54 prior convictions, including five felony convictions, that are mostly for retail theft. The department said those prior convictions allowed it to charge Narito with habitual property crime — a felony that’s punishable by up to five years in prison.

“When convicted of misdemeanor theft, shoplifters face little or no jail time and they go right back to stealing from our businesses,” said Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm in a statement. “The Habitual Property Crime statute is a valuable tool that can help address the growing retail crime issue in Honolulu by attaching felony consequences to the actions of chronic thieves.”

The drug charge is also a felony and can lead to a five-year sentence as well.