Posted on: Tuesday, October 22, 2002

Man charged in robberies of four O'ahu banks in seven-week spree

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 41-year-old man was charged yesterday with robbing four O'ahu banks in seven weeks.

Leslie Kiyomi Doi, who surrendered Friday to police, is accused of robbing American Savings Bank branches in Liliha on Aug. 22, Kaimuki on Aug. 29 and Kapalama on Sept. 17, and the First Hawaiian Bank's Kaimuki branch on Oct. 4. In each case, police say, he passed a note to a teller indicating he was armed.

A federal criminal complaint filed yesterday says Doi stole $7,975 from the four banks. Police said Doi was identified from surveillance photos following the Oct. 4 robbery.

According to the affidavit:

Doi was arrested for the Aug. 22 robbery but admitted to the other robberies while being interviewed.

The first robbery was at 5:45 p.m. on Aug. 22. He handed the teller a note stating, "I have a gun, give me all the money." He told the teller, "I got a gun, hurry up." Doi fled with $1,827.

He struck again seven days later at 1:30 p.m. at American Savings' Kaimuki branch, taking $1,799.

The third robbery in Kapalama occurred on Sept. 17 in Kapalama. The demand note stated, "Give me the money, I have a gun." He fled with $693.

In the fourth robbery on Oct. 4, a First Hawaiian Bank teller was handed a note stating, "This is a robbery! I'm armed!" The robber repeated that he had a gun in his pocket. The $3,656 the teller handed over included bait money, the affidavit said.