Police focus on stopping smash-and-grab burglaries

Feb. 23—The Honolulu Police Department says it is meeting with some success in ongoing operations to thwart smash-and-grab burglaries across Oahu, which have been on the uptick over the past few months.

The Honolulu Police Department says it is meeting with some success in ongoing operations to thwart smash-and-grab burglaries across Oahu, which have been on the uptick over the past few months.

"The smash-and-grabs are occurring islandwide, and they are at a steady rate, which is concerning not only for the public, but is also concerning for us, " HPD Maj. Brian Lynch of East Hono ­lulu District 7 said Thursday at a news conference. "This is something that has escalated to the point where we've had to change our tactics. We've had to pour a little bit more attention into it to be more effective at what we're doing."

The operation, composed of a combination of teams from Crime Reduction Units across HPD's eight districts, has been ongoing in both daytime and overnight hours.

"These operations right now have been very fruitful. They are still ongoing, and we're constantly evaluating them for their effectiveness, " Lynch said. "The statistics, in comparison to when we were doing these operations, are lower than they normally are. We'd like to attribute that to the operations that we're conducting."

Lynch said that the combination of the Crime Reduction Units wasn't done just to mitigate smash-and-grab incidents, but as a preventive measure against a range of crimes that also includes auto thefts and breaking into motor vehicles.

"I would say that these enforcement efforts are affecting the criminal element that are conducting these smash-and-grabs, " he said. "We're out there, and we're out there in larger numbers in specific areas based on what these guys are doing. For us, not only do we want to prevent (these acts ), but we also want to catch these guys. If we can't identify who they are and we can't identify them in the act, then the next best thing we can do is prevent them from doing it."

Lynch said the operations have resulted in 98 felony arrests, including for sexual assault and robbery, and over 160 misdemeanor cases, including warrants and traffic offenses, between October and January.

HPD began tracking commercial burglaries involving a shattered front door in October. From October to January there were 70 to 80 cases reported, according to an email from HPD spokesperson Michelle Yu. In the past 30 days, fewer than five cases were reported.

"The number of burglaries rose and dropped over the time period. The break-ins also evolved over time and added to the challenges, " Yu wrote. "HPD's latest response consists of direct and indirect deterrents, including increased police presence and working with business owners."

In response to the uptick and increased concerns surrounding smash-and-grabs, business owners can call Lynch's office directly at 808-723-3369 to be directed to a Community Policing Team officer in their district.

"We'll give you the phone number and you can call them, and what they can do is discuss with you anything that's unique to your situation, " Lynch said. "They can come down to your place of business, and they can look over what you've got going on and what you don't got going on, and give you some advice on what would help you and not help the bad guys."

In addition to responding directly to the crimes, officers are offering advice to crime victims on how they can harden their homes or storefronts against burglaries. HPD is also conducting public relations checks, where officers discuss concerns with business owners on what the department can do to further mitigate these incidents.

In early January, thieves smashed the windows of Ahi and Vegetable at the Laulani Village Shopping Center in Ewa Beach and stole cash registers with a total of $700. The restaurant had a front camera that caught the thieves entering the premises but was unable to help identify them due to the face coverings they wore during the incident. Security guards at the shopping center were also unable to catch the perpetrators.

"We're working on adding more cameras, especially outside. All of our registers are going to be empty, " store manager Jose Corla said. "It's a work in progress right now."

Lynch said that while it's unclear what exactly the motivation is behind the recent uptick, the smash-and-grabs could be attached to national and global trends.

"In the beginning we can say that it was actually a smaller group of people that we've identified, but as time progressed it basically branched out to whoever wanted to engage in this type of activity, " he said.

In preventing the incidents, Lynch suggested that store owners install alarms that directly alert 911 when they go off, allowing officers to respond to the incident right away. Additionally, audible, like a siren, or visual, like a flashing light, alarm signals can help bring attention to the incident and scare off the perpetrator. Camera systems that provide the most detail can also aid officers in identifying suspects.

Lynch also said many of the smash-and-grab incidents involved breaking the glass in the front of the store, using blunt objects like hammers or rocks. Business owners can harden their storefronts with steel doors that close in front of glass windows that would prevent glass break-ins, or hurricane glass that is immune to breakage. If possible, installing a steel or cement pole in front of stores can prevent people from using vehicles to break into storefronts.

For stores located in private complexes, Lynch also advised inquiring about security measures within the complex.

Concerned business owners who would like to speak with an officer for advice on how to protect their businesses are encouraged to call Lynch's office at 808-723-3369.