Posted on: Friday, January 18, 2002

Fired worker suspected in Burger King robbery

Advertiser Staff

LAHAINA, Maui — A woman who was fired from the Burger King on Front Street is a suspect along with five others in Tuesday night's armed robbery of the fast-food restaurant.

Of the six suspects arrested Wednesday morning, three have been charged so far, including the fired employee's boyfriend, Stephan Kimo Buckner, 21, of Lahaina. Also charged with robbery, burglary and kidnapping are Jonah Souza and Shane K. Cabral, both 19 and residents of Kahului.

Following an initial appearance yesterday in Wailuku District Court, the three men remain in custody in lieu of $21,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for Tuesday.

The 28-year-old woman who was fired from Burger King late last year was released pending further investigation, as were a 21-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl.

The robbery occurred at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday when three men wearing ski masks and brandishing a semiautomatic handgun and two rifles forced their way in through a back door after the restaurant had closed, said Lt. Lenie Lawrence. The bandits ordered the manager at gunpoint to open the safe. The robbers fled with $1,500, Lawrence said.

The manager told police she recalled a suspicious event when Buckner and his girlfriend ate alone at the Burger King at different times just a few hours before the robbery. Police went to the couple's South Nahale Place home, where the suspects were arrested. Detectives found cash and three firearm replicas believed to have been used in the holdup.

Lawrence said the investigation indicates the three gunmen were assisted by lookouts and a getaway driver, and that the suspects had rehearsed the robbery at home.