Posted on: Sunday, March 16, 2003

'Aiea bank robbers remain at large

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer

No suspects have been arrested in connection with Thursday's robbery of the 'Aiea branch of American Savings Bank.

Two masked men armed with handguns burst into the bank branch at the 'Aiea Shopping Center shortly before 2:30 p.m. 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.

No one was injured and no shots were fired, police said.

FBI spokesman and Special Agent Larry Futa said such takeovers are potentially much more dangerous than a robbery in which the robber hands a note to a teller demanding money.

The robbers got away with an undisclosed amount of cash. They sped off in a stolen white Ford Windstar van, which was found 25 minutes later parked on Lilia Place across from a shopping center.

Witnesses at the 'Aiea Medical Building said they saw two masked men running toward Moanalua Road minutes after the robbery.

The robbers are described as in their early- to mid-20s. The man who jumped the bank counter is described as 5 feet 10 and 230 pounds with a muscular build, wearing a black ski mask, multicolored long-sleeve sweater, blue jeans, and dark boots.

The second robber is 5 feet 10 and 180 pounds, and wore a nylon-stocking type mask, black long-sleeve sweater, blue jeans, and dark boots.

Call Robbery Detective Gordon Makashima at 529-3383, or call CrimeStoppers anonymously at 955-8300, or *CRIME on a cell phone.