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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Two home invasions rattle Hilo residents

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — Police are asking Hilo residents to stay alert and report suspicious activities in their neighborhoods in the wake of two very similar home-invasion robberies within a week that apparently targeted elderly residents.

In both cases masked robbers confronted the occupants of the homes, and escaped with cash and jewelry. No injuries were reported, but in one case the robbers tied up a man.

The unusual home-invasion robberies in neighborhoods where many elderly people live stirred some concern.

At a sewing class at the Kamana Senior Center in Hilo, the students said they once thought of Hilo as safe, but now take precautions such as locking the front door when they step out to do yard work.

"That's really quite brazen, I think, for them to go in when people are at home," said one woman, who said she did not want to be identified. "I think we have to be a little more careful now."

In the most recent case, two men broke into a Lanikaula Street home early Sunday and robbed a woman, 86, of cash, jewelry, a purse and credit cards, police said . Police said the men were masked and wearing black. One was described as about 5 feet 6 inches with a medium build.

The break-in was similar to an incident a week ago when two masked men broke into another Hilo home while the occupants — a 93-year-old man and his 89-year-old wife — were at home. In that Aug. 4 case, two robbers entered the Kanoelani Street home through a window and started going through the house. One of the robbers brandished a handgun, police said. They tied up the man before leaving with jewelry and cash, police said.

One of the robbers in that incident was described as being 5 feet 9 to 5 feet 10, with a heavy build, black wavy hair and perhaps a beard. The second man was described as 5 feet 7 and 140 to 150 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Lucille Melemai of the East Hawai'i Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2377, the police nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 935-3916.