A man wanted in connection with a shoplifting incident that turned violent at an Aiea gas station is still being sought by Honolulu Police, who say the suspect used force against a store employee who tried to stop him from leaving with stolen merchandise. The confrontation happened on September 26, 2026, and police have since released surveillance video in hopes that someone recognizes the man caught on camera.
According to Hawaii News Now, the suspect placed several items into a green shopping bag before an employee confronted him as he attempted to leave without paying. Police say he then used force against the worker before fleeing the store with the stolen goods. Investigators describe the man as believed to be in his 40s, with a slim build, brown hair and brown eyes.
A separate police bulletin adds striking details meant to help the public identify him. Per the Honolulu Police Department, the man had a bath towel wrapped around his neck when he entered the gas station at 7:41 p.m. that evening. The bulletin was logged under Criminal Investigation Division case Na Maka CID-26/1171.
How Force Can Affect a Theft Charge
Under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 708-841, as detailed by Justia Law, a person commits Robbery in the Second Degree if, in the course of committing theft, the person uses physical force against someone present with intent to overcome resistance.
A Robbery in the Second Degree conviction is a Class B felony in Hawaii, according to FindLaw. Police are looking for the suspect.
Retail Workers Increasingly Caught in the Middle
The case fits a pattern that retail industry observers have flagged for years. Industry reporting from the Retail Merchants of Hawaii, cited by Honolulu Civil Beat, notes that physical confrontations against store employees during shoplifting incidents have grown more frequent as suspects act more aggressively to avoid apprehension. The same reporting underscores how shoplifting under $750 without force would otherwise remain a lower-level theft charge, making the use of force the key legal trigger in cases like this one.
The footage was released through HPD's Na Maka suspect-identification page.
Broader Crime Trends in Central Oahu
HPD's own annual reporting shows that overall property crime across Oahu decreased between 2019 and 2024. This case adds to a string of recent violent incidents police have investigated in the area, including unresolved stabbings reported in nearby Waipahu.
Anyone with information on the suspect's identity is asked to contact Honolulu Police.
