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Police seek male suspect who robbed bank branch 06-24-03

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
HILO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SECTION
LIEUTENANT STEVEN GUILLERMO
PHONE: 961-2252
JUNE 24, 2003

MEDIA RELEASE

Police are on the lookout for a male suspect who robbed the Waiakea branch of the Bank of Hawaii in Hilo on Tuesday afternoon (June 24, 2003).

Responding to a 2:30 p.m. robbery call, police determined that a masked man wearing a hat, a long-sleeved shirt and dark-colored pants entered the bank on East Kawili Street, brandished a machete and approached a teller. He then climbed over the counter, opened a cash drawer and grabbed money from the drawer. He then approached a second teller, opened a second cash drawer and grabbed more cash.

The suspect then left the bank and was last seen fleeing on a bicycle west on Lanikaula Street with an undetermined amount of cash.

The suspect was described only as a male, possibly a Caucasian, and being 5-feet-10 to 6-feet-1 in height with a medium build.

Tuesday’s robbery was similar to an attempted robbery that occurred last Tuesday at the Home Street Bank in Hilo.

In that robbery attempt, a lone male walked into the bank shortly after 1 p.m. wearing a cloth over his head, a respirator covering his nose and mouth, dark-colored pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

The suspect, also believed to be Caucasian, brandished a knife and demanded money several times from the tellers. When the tellers ignored him, he climbed over the counter and tried to open locked drawers. Unable to obtain any money, the suspect climbed back over the counter and into the lobby area, where he again demanded money. When he failed to obtain any money, he threw his knife down and ran out of the bank.

The suspect was last seen riding a dark-colored bicycle toward Kilauea Avenue and traveling in the Puna direction.

Anyone with any information about either of the incidents is asked to call Detective Greg Esteban at 961-2384 or the police non-emergency number at 935-3311.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. The numbers are answered 24 hours a day. Callers will be given a coded number and their identity will remain anonymous. Callers may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 if their call leads to an arrest, indictment or the recovery of property. Crime Stoppers neither subscribes to “Caller ID,” nor does it record phone calls.

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