Officer arrests relative in bank holdups
By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer
A Honolulu police officer recognized a distant relative as the suspect in three bank robberies and arrested him Monday, according to a federal affidavit.
Honolulu Police Department
Robert Enoka Torres, 36, arrested at a Waimanalo residence, was charged yesterday with three counts of second-degree robbery and one count of auto theft.
Robert E. Torres of Waimanalo was arrested Monday and has been charged in bank robberies on three consecutive days last week.
An HPD officer and former school classmate spotted Torres and arrested him at a Hanalulu Place address, the affidavit said.
Authorities believe Torres is the 300-pound man who robbed $3,851 from three banks on three consecutive days last week, according to yesterday's affidavit by a deputy U.S. Marshal.
He is charged with robbing the Hawai'i National Bank's Kaimuki branch Oct. 9, the American Savings Bank's Kapi'olani Boulevard Kaheka branch Oct. 10, and Bank of Hawai'i's Kailua branch Oct. 11.
He has a previous bank robbery conviction, police said.
In one of the robberies, the teller was told to "have a nice day" before the robber left with the loot, the affidavit said.
Police say the robber may have done himself in by trying to rob a fourth bank last week. About a half hour before the Oct. 11 robbery of Bank of Hawai'i's Kailua branch, police believe Torres may have considered robbing the American Savings Bank Kane'ohe branch.
Tellers there recognized a heavy-set man described in the two previous robberies as he approached a teller with a note but left without making a transaction, police said.
A bank official followed the man outside and watched as he drove off in a Toyota van. He took down the license plate number, and police tracked the registered owner to Torres, the affidavit said.
The Bank of Hawai'i in Kailua was robbed two hours later.
Reach Scott Ishikawa at sishikawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 535-8110.
