Chinatown's recent bout with vandalism took a technological turn this month as Honolulu police leveraged new surveillance cameras to capture three suspects accused of defacing a downtown business. The incident, which resulted in approximately $2,500 in damages, occurred lon November 11 and has since been under investigation, leading to the arrests of three individuals - a 30-year-old woman and two men, ages 26 and 32, as reported by KITV. Still painting the city with their search, authorities are on the lookout for the fourth suspect involved in the case.
In a statement obtained by Hawaii News Now, Sgt. Chris Kim of CrimeStoppers Honolulu stressed the effectiveness of the new surveillance system installed in Chinatown at the start of the month. "It adds community safety and it adds peace of mind as well," said Sgt. Kim. He also issued a caution, "So we want to warn the people out there, if you are doing something you shouldn’t be doing, that we do have these new cameras out there." Installed at the beginning of the month, the 30 new cameras have significantly strengthened law enforcement efforts.
The act of vandalism at the center of these arrests took place at the Hocking Hale building, a structure recently subjected to renovation efforts aimed at revitalizing the historic downtown. The trio captured on camera, included the woman who filmed while her companions applied their illicit tags onto the building's facade. The footage documenting this crime has been pivotal in the police's ability to quickly respond and apprehend the suspected vandals, as reported by Hawaii News Now.
The police are now seeking assistance from the public to track down the elusive fourth member of this graffiti ensemble, going by the moniker "SEVLR," a young man in his 20s, as per Hawaii News Now. CrimeStoppers Honolulu encourages anyone with information to come forward, offering the phone number (808) 955-8300 and the P3 Tips App as avenues to submit tips anonymously.
