Car thefts spur jump in O'ahu crime rate

By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer

Auto thefts on O'ahu jumped 52 percent last year to a record high of 8,488 incidents, according to a police department report.

That helped fuel an overall 18 percent increase in the crime rate from 2001 to 2002. Even so, overall crime on O'ahu was still below the peak levels of the mid-1990s.

The draft of the Honolulu Police Department's Crime Index measures seven categories of serious crime: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft.

Motor vehicle thefts increased for the third year in a row, up from 5,597 cases in 2001. The greatest concentration of cases were reported in the area between Aliamanu and Waipahu.

Vehicle owners need to use common sense, said acting Lt. Floyd Matsuda of HPD's auto theft detail.

"When you park your car, don't leave your keys in the car; park in a lighted area and not in an isolated area," he said.

Vehicle owners should also look into deterrents such as a car alarm or The Club, for added protection, Matsuda said.

Before 2002, the busiest year for auto thefts was 1995, with 7,440 cases on O'ahu. Since then, auto theft had actually been in decline, dipping below 4,000 in 1999 before edging back up in 2000 and 2001.

Burglaries saw the second-highest increase, 22 percent. East Honolulu reported the most burglaries, with 1,501 cases, according to HPD.

"What we're seeing is that a good percentage of burglaries and thefts are preventable," said detective Clinton Sukekane of the East Honolulu district's burglary and theft detail.

Homeowners should walk around their homes and look for vulnerable entry points, especially areas in the back of the house, Sukekane said.

"If you could easily break into your home, so can a burglar," he said.

But fighting crime involves the entire neighborhood, Sukekane said.

"Sometimes we have cases where a neighbor actually sees the burglary happening," he said. "What I tell people is you know who belongs in the area, so if you see something that doesn't look right, call the police."

Burglaries also often turn into spinoff cases, such as auto or identity thefts because homeowners leave their car keys and personal checks lying around in the house, Sukekane said.

Reach Zenaida Serrano Espanol at zespanol@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8174.

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