The city hopes the answer to kicking out criminals in Chinatown is as simple as letting in the sun.

Yesterday, city crews started taking down three trellises that shade several tables each on Kukui and River Streets, where many have long complained of criminal activity, including flagrant daytime drug deals and gambling.

"Opening up the place a little more makes it a little less appealing" for wrongdoers, said Honolulu police Maj. Clayton Saito, of the Chinatown station. "There were complaints about drug dealing going on. These less desirable elements ended up taking over these tables."

Liana Benn, the manager of Royal Kitchen, which is right in front of some of the tables, said she has complained for months about the situation. She said people who come to her restaurant are too afraid to use the tables (which are along a waterway that leads to the ocean) because they are commandeered by others who spend much of the day at the spots.

And, she added, because there are no public bathrooms in the area, people defecate and urinate out in the open.

When schoolchildren visit Chinatown, Benn tells their teachers not to allow the kids near the area because it is unsanitary. "It's just not a wholesome environment," she said.

City workers started taking down the trellises yesterday morning, after a news conference attended by Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Chinatown leaders and business owners.

The three bench and table areas are along Nu'uanu Stream, between Vineyard Boulevard and Beretania Street. Two areas are on the College Walk side of the stream; the remaining one is on the Sun Yat-sen Mall, on the stream's Chinatown side.

Bill Brennan, a city spokesman, said the work is being done in-house. It's unclear when the arbors were put up, or how old they are. But at least one has some extensive termite damage, Downtown Neighborhood Board members said.

The board recently passed a resolution urging the city to take down the trellises because of criminal activity reported by residents and because of the termite damage.

Without the trellises, the tables along the stream banks have direct sun — not the best place to sit all day or the ideal spot for doing drug deals, residents hope.

Frank Lavoie, vice chairman of the Downtown board, said he thinks that getting rid of the trellises will reduce crime in the area — or at least keep a majority of the undesirable activities away.

"We've had lots of citizen complaints in that area," he said. "Normal people don't want to approach that area. We believe if the trellises are gone, it won't be such a haven" for criminal activity.

The project comes as the city is in the midst of a massive push — kicked off two years ago — aimed at revitalizing Chinatown without breaking city coffers.

The trellis project is one of a number of relatively inexpensive measures the city has taken to drive out criminal elements. City crews have also improved lighting on streets and repainted parking structures in brighter colors to deter crime.