Marine questioned in O'ahu robberies
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
Police yesterday arrested a 20-year-old Marine and want to question him in connection with a crime spree involving 12 armed robberies in Honolulu and Central O'ahu since Dec. 20.
Three of the holdups occurred yesterday.
The man was stopped at the gate leading to Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kane'ohe Bay, at 5:25 a.m. and arrested, said Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Kent Robbins.
Police booked the man on suspicion of a gun violation. Police yesterday were trying to get a warrant to search the Marine's car, said Honolulu Police Department Lt. Robert Cravalho.
Cravalho said the Marine has "not been identified as a suspect in the robbery cases at this point," but police wanted to talk to him about his associates.
Cravalho said the Honolulu Police Department is getting cooperation from the Army, Navy and Marines in the investigation.
"We're in the process of gathering evidence," Cravalho said. "We're confident that the evidence will lead to the culprits."
According to police, the robberies started Dec. 20 with masked and armed robbers striking in spurts, hitting three times in a span of one hour Sunday, and three times in a span of three hours yesterday morning.
On Sunday, an armed man robbed a 61-year-old man as he took money from an automated teller machine in Waipahu. Twenty minutes later, two armed robbers raided a Pearl City Shell gas station and 40 minutes later robbers plundered the Chevron Food Mart in Salt Lake.
Yesterday, armed men hit the Waipahu 7-Eleven store, Action Video near Ala Moana and New Koa Taxi in lower Makiki.
In the taxi robbery, one of the victims suffered minor neck and leg injuries after he was shoved down a staircase.
"We believe the suspects are very dangerous not only in the frequency and locations that are being attacked, but for the aggressive behavior they're showing during the robberies," said Detective Letha DeCaires.
Other robberies with similar descriptions of the masked men and similar robbery methods have been reported at the Hawaiiana Hotel in Waikiki on Dec. 20, a location near the Ala Wai Golf Course on Dec. 21, Peggy's Pantry in Pearl City on Dec. 22, Kaumuali'i and Kohou streets in Kalihi on Dec. 23, Liona and Ke'eaumoku streets in lower Makiki on Jan. 5 and the Green Tee Lounge in lower Makiki on Jan. 6.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Joyce Alapa at 529-3382 or Detective Rheynol Kosaka at 529-3392, CrimeStoppers at 955-8300, or *CRIME on your cellular phone.
