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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 26, 2006

HPD seeks help in catching bank suspect

 •  Copper, brass thefts getting more brazen

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Police are asking for the public's help in finding a man who used a stun gun to try to rob the Pearl City branch of American Savings Bank on May 18.

The man, who police said was wearing a blond wig and fake black beard, entered the bank with the weapon about 3:30 p.m. and demanded money from a teller. When the teller backed away from the man, police said he jumped on the counter and tried to grab money from the cash drawer.

A bank employee saw the commotion and threatened to call police. The man then left empty-handed.

Sgt. Kim Capllonch, coordinator of the CrimeStoppers program, said the bank's surveillance cameras got clear pictures of the suspect and witnesses provided good descriptions of the man.

"We do have a witness who saw him without the wig and he does have psoriasis or red rash under his left eye. So that's going to be identifiable to us," Capllonch said.

She said the suspect also was seen getting into an unusual-looking white sedan.

"The unique part about this car is that the length of the back of the car is all tail light. So it's one complete tail light and that should be an easy model car to find."

Unlike most bank robbers, this man was daring because of his disguise and he went onto the bank counter to reach for money, Capllonch said. Typically, a robber would hand a teller a demand note and leave quietly, she said.

"This is a rare incident. Most people walk in and don't want to draw attention to themselves," she said.

The suspect is described as 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 7, 160 pounds with crew-cut brown hair and a fair complexion. Anyone with information on this man is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.