Entries Tagged 'Crime' ↓

A man reportedly threw a toddler to his death from a freeway bridge in Honolulu at around noon today. Police already have a suspect in custody. A breaking news item from The Honolulu Advertiser says witnesses saw a man, dressed in what looked like hospital scrubs that were cutoff at the knee, throw the child from the pedestrian bridge at Miller Street. A camera crew from KITV captured footage of the 23-year-old suspect as he was taken away, and he reportedly called out, “Thank you for everything!”

The child has not been identified, and it is unknown whether the boy was related in any way to the suspect. Police are checking local day care facilities in the area to see if anyone is missing a child, KITV noted.

All westbound lanes of the H-1 are still closed at the Vineyard offramp as the investigation continues. Traffic was already backed up through Kaimuki by 1 p.m.

This island tragedy comes only a week after 37-year-old Lam Luong threw four young children from a bridge to their deaths in Alabama.

Thefts and robberies in Hawaii’s busiest tourist district are down sharply this year, and may perhaps drop as much as 40 percent compared to 2002. According to a report in the latest Pacific Business News, statistics from the Honolulu Police Department’s Waikīkī district show a total of 851 visitor-related property crimes so far this year, and law enforcement anticipate the final number to fall short of 1,200. There were nearly 2,000 visitor-related property crimes reported in 2002. The story also notes that car break-ins have fallen from nearly 200 in one month in 2002 to an average or 40 to 60 today. Police officials attribute much of the decrease to a stronger police presence in Waikīkī, with as many as 70 officers patrolling the area through a given day. Waikiki Improvement Association president Rick Egged, however, told Pacific Business News that the strong economy has a lot to do with it as well. “Basically anybody in Hawaii who wants a job can get one,” he said. “This affects the person who might be a casual thief.” Better cooperation among private hotel and store security firms and law enforcement has also been cited. The drop in crime in Waikīkī echoes Hawaii’s overall declining crime trends, and is good news as the visitor industry continues to see record numbers of visitors and rising visitor spending.

A 35-year-old man was sentenced to a year in prison plus five years probation on Monday for stealing over $200,000 in copper wiring from his employer, a sentence that city prosecutors say is too lenient as metal thefts in Hawaii and across the nation are skyrocketing. Shane Boyle had worked for Graybar Electrical Co., where he redirected over 50 tons of new copper wiring to recyclers for about $90,000. Prosecutors were pushing for the maximum 10-year prison term, as Boyle’s case came to trial in the midst of record metal prices, and countless metal thefts. Boyle’s former boss, Dave Pysher, lost his job due to the thefts, and he told KITV that Boyle’s sentence “sends a terrible message.” He said now thieves know “that the courts will not take the theft of copper seriously.” Nearly two dozen cases have been reported in Hawaii recent months, including some high profile and brazen thefts.

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Honolulu FOX affilate KHON has noted a “surge” in deaths linked to domestic violence, citing several cases that have made headlines this month. “At least eight women so far this year appear to have been killed in connection with domestic violence,” KHON reports, “most of them within the past few weeks.” Most of the victims have documented histories of abuse and had filed temporary restraining orders. According to the Department of Human Services, women in Hawaii return to their abusers an average 11 times, almost twice as often as on the mainland. The report also notes that temporary restraining orders are violated more than half the time in Hawaii.

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Honolulu FOX affilate KHON has noted a “surge” in deaths linked to domestic violence, citing several cases that have made headlines this month. “At least eight women so far this year appear to have been killed in connection with domestic violence,” KHON reports, “most of them within the past few weeks.” Most of the victims have documented histories of abuse and had filed temporary restraining orders. According to the Department of Human Services, women in Hawaii return to their abusers an average 11 times, almost twice as often as on the mainland. The report also notes that temporary restraining orders are violated more than half the time in Hawaii.

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The Honolulu crime rate jumped by more than 16 percent last year, with increases reported in seven of eight categories tracked by the FBI. According to preliminary data from the agency’s Uniform Crime Report, released today, murder on O`ahu is down, but motor vehicle theft saw an increase of more than 50 percent over 2001. Nationally, crime levels decreased over the same period.

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A former rebel group commander in Colombia blamed for killing a Big Island woman and two of her colleagues was extridited to the U.S. today. Nelson Vargas Rueda, a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, was indicted by a federal grand jury last April. Lahe`ena`e Gay, 39, of Pahoa, Hawai`i was in Colombia on a goodwill mission four years ago when she and two collagues were kidnapped and killed by FARC members.

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Local FBI investigators are looking into a letter sent from Hawai`i that threatened an anthrax attack against a small Canadian company in an $2 million extortion attempt. Saskatoon-based CMS Industries Inc. received the letter on Friday, according to a Monday press release from Saskatoon City Police, and it demanded that two $1 million checks be sent to two people in Hawaii by June 15.

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Hawai`i Rep. Ed Case today asked a U.S. House subcommittee to approve a $6 million request to fight the spread of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, in the islands. Case is also seeking an additional $1.5 million to establish a statewide educational and awareness program. Ice addiction has reached epidemic proportions here — on Sunday, state Department of Human Services director called Hawai`i the “ice capital of the universe,” and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDH) has kept Hawai`i high on its methamphetamine addiction watchlist since 1997.

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The Kapahulu Branch of American Savings Bank was robbed this morning. Investigators believe the suspect — described as a Caucasian male in his 20s with a silver ring in his lower lip — may be the same person who robbed the University Branch of Bank of Hawaii on March 26. Turning to the public for help, CrimeStoppers also announced today that it will be adding its logo and phone number to the side of 300 police cars.

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