Major Hawaii burglary ring busted
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
Four women arrested by police today in Waikiki are part of a notorious island-hopping ring that has been allegedly burglarizing homes for over a year, according to noted bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman.
Khayla Kellsbulla Alapai, 20, was arrested at 9 a.m. today at 2346 Kuhio Avenue on a $50,000 warrant charging her with three counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of third-degree promoting of a dangerous drug, unauthorized possession of confidential personal information and possession of drug paraphernalia from a Dec. 4 indictment.
The charges stem from a burglary Nov. 19-20. Alapai was released on $40,000 bail Nov. 25 after being charged but the December indictment revoked her release.
Also arrested today at the same location were Khyra Monet Alapai-Naholoholo, 20, for third-degree promoting a dangerous drug; Neomi C.J. Madriaga, 20, for first-degree burglary and third-degree promoting a dangerous drug, and Tusiga Faavavau Malivao, 19, for third-degree promoting a dangerous drug.
The alleged leaders of the burglary ring — Christopher Laurence Medina, 33, and Maurlene Leone Gaspar, 42 — were tracked down Saturday in Waikiki and turned over to police by famed bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman. Medina wanted on a $550,000 extradition warrant for burglary and drug offenses on the Big Island made his initial appearance Monday at Honolulu District Court.
Gaspar is the mother of Khayla and Khyra Alapai. She, Medina and another of her daughters, 20-year-old Kailana Graciidis, were arrested by Chapman and his team in an 11th-floor apartment on the 400 block of Lewers Street.
Chapman described the group as a seven- to eight-member "family burglary gang" suspected of doing four to six burglaries a day.
The group rented large trucks and would go around knocking on doors and burglarizing homes where no one was at home, Chapman said. Cinder blocks would be positioned in the back of the trucks with palm tree fronds on them to hide stolen property, Chapman said.
Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.