Honolulu police are looking for two men who bound an 85-year-old man in a brazen home invasion robbery in the Nuuanu-Punchbowl area Tuesday, police said.
The robbery occurred at a residence on Pacific Heights Road at about 8 a.m.
Police said the masked men entered the residence by force, brandished a handgun and demanded cash and jewelry.
The victim was in his home at the time having breakfast when he heard a loud noise. At first, he thought his cats knocked something over.
In an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Wednesday, the victim said the sound came from the men after they apparently kicked a door to gain entry, breaking the door frame.
One of the men brandished a gun and demanded money and jewelry. They then took him into his home office and bound him to a chair using some type of plastic material and searched the home.
The men were in his house for about 20 minutes and fled with cash, jewelry and other items.
The victim said he managed to break free from the restraints and immediately called 911. No injuries were reported.
A day after the home invasion, the resident said, “I’m just happy I wasn’t injured.”
“Times are tight for people, I realize that, but to rob others to survive is pretty bad,” he added, noting he plans to install security equipment on his property.
Police have opened a first-degree robbery investigation. There are no arrests at this time.
The resident described both men as 5 feet, 10 inches tall with a lean build. They wore head, face and neck coverings at the time of the robbery and long sleeved dark-colored shirts and pants.
Anyone with information on the home invasion is urged to call 911.
A separate home robbery occurred in Manoa three weeks ago in which two intruders robbed and assaulted a 76-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman at their home in Manoa at about 8:45 a.m. on Jan. 4. Prosecutors charged Tiolu Lono, 44, in connection with the robbery. The other intruder remains at-large.
Scott Spallina of the Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Elder Abuse Justice Unit said, “Criminals are very brazen these days.”
He noted kupuna are not necessarily targeted but are becoming victims of these type of crimes as many people are staying indoors because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
If feasible, Spallina suggested residents invest in a home security system, as criminals are more likely to move on if they observe your home with an alarm system.
He also urged residents to keep an eye out for one another in their community. “Neighbors have to watch out for neighbors,” Spallina said. “All too often we’re plugged into our devices … we need to talk to our neighbors again.”
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Taking precautions
The Honolulu Police Department offered the following home security and safety tips:
>> Install motion-sensitive lighting near doors and dark areas on your property to prevent concealment of intruders.
>> Consider installing a home security system.
>> Consider getting a dog. Most intruders avoid a house with a dog.
>> Be a good neighbor. If you notice anything suspicious in your neighborhood, call 911.
>> Start a Neighborhood Security Watch. Police can help you work with your neighbors to improve safety and reduce the risk of burglaries and other crimes.
>> Don’t open your door to strangers. Never allow a stranger into your home even for an emergency. If it’s an emergency, tell the stranger you will make the call to police for them.
>> Secure your front and back doors while working in the yard/garden.
For additional tips, visit: 808ne.ws/homesecuritytips.
