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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, March 14, 2003

'Aiea bank robbed by pair of gunmen

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writers

Two masked men with revolvers held up the 'Aiea branch of American Savings Bank yesterday.

No one was injured and no shots were fired in the 2:30 p.m. robbery at 'Aiea Shopping Center at 99-115 'Aiea Heights Drive, police said. The robbers got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

One of the armed men jumped the service counter, ordered bank employees and customers not to move and grabbed the money, while the other man stood in the customer area, police said.

The robbers sped off in a stolen white Ford Windstar van, which was found minutes later parked on Lilia Place across from the shopping center.

Witnesses said they saw two masked men running toward Moanalua Road.

Ten to 12 officers and a police helicopter joined the search for the suspects.

Officers arrived at the scene quicker than usual because two witnesses outside the bank called 911 while the robbery was in progress, police said.

The robbers are described as in their early- to mid-20s. The first man was described as 5 feet 10 and 230 pounds, wearing a multi-colored shirt and nylon mask. The second robber is 5 feet 10 and 180 pounds, wearing a black sweater, blue jeans and ski mask.

A similar robbery occurred in December of 2001 when three masked men burst into the Kailua branch of Windward Community Federal Credit Union in a mid-afternoon robbery in a busy retail area.

In the Kailua incident, the robbers rushed in and shouted for everyone to get on the floor. After jumping the bank counter and taking the money, the three men got into a stolen 1996 white Plymouth Voyager van, and abandoned the vehicle about 100 yards away.