A knife-wielding man forced a 21-year-old driver and his three younger siblings out of their black Dodge Charger at a hotel loading zone in Waikīkī Monday night, then drove off in the stolen car before it crashed about 25 minutes later near Likelike Highway and Kahekili Highway. No one in the family was hurt, but occupants of the other vehicle in that crash suffered minor injuries, and the suspect remains at large.
According to Honolulu Police
, the robbery happened at approximately 10:50 p.m. in the Kalia Road area. Police said the armed suspect ordered the 21-year-old victim out of the Dodge Charger, and the young man, his 19-year-old sister, and two younger siblings, ages 12 and 9, all got out safely before the suspect drove off with the vehicle.
Stolen Car Crashes Near Likelike Highway
The getaway didn't last long. Police said that at around 11:15 p.m., roughly 25 minutes after the robbery, the stolen Dodge Charger was involved in a collision near Likelike Highway and Kahekili Highway. Occupants of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries in that crash, police said, though no injuries were reported from the robbery itself.
The suspect didn't stick around. Police said he fled on foot before officers could arrive at the crash scene. Witnesses provided descriptions of the suspect.
Suspect Description Released
Witnesses told police the man was Polynesian or Filipino, in his 30s, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 170 pounds, with long black hair. He was last seen wearing a dark jacket, dark pants and slippers, and carrying a green backpack, according to the same police account.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or CrimeStoppers at (808) 955-8300.
A Pattern of Waikīkī Robberies
The knifepoint carjacking adds to a string of violent robberies that have rattled the tourist district this year. In July, Hawaiʻi News Now reported that a 36-year-old man was taken into custody in connection with an armed robbery from more than a month earlier, in which police said the suspect used a handgun to demand items from an 18-year-old victim on May 30. That suspect was arrested after allegedly using the victim's stolen bank card at a convenience store, the station reported.
Separately, KHON2 reported that a 36-year-old man was arrested on the night of Nov. 27 after allegedly entering a closed Waikīkī restaurant on Ala Moana Boulevard and pointing a gun at employees around 10:20 p.m.
Safe and Sound Waikīkī Initiative
The robbery comes even as business and law enforcement officials have touted declining crime figures in Waikīkī. The Waikīkī Business Improvement District says its Safe and Sound Waikīkī program, launched in September 2022 in partnership with the Mayor's Office, HPD, the Prosecuting Attorney's Office and community groups, has restricted more than 200 people from the district over criminal activity and employed 14 people as Aloha Ambassadors through a second-chance jobs effort.
The business group reports a 19% reduction in robberies when comparing September 2022 through September 2024 against the two years prior, citing HPD data. A post on Reddit's r/Honolulu forum cited similar figures, describing 278 fewer thefts, an 18% decrease, and 19 fewer robberies since the initiative began, while crediting the HPD partnership for the trend. Monday night's robbery is a reminder that even amid those reported declines, armed confrontations continue to occur in the heart of Waikīkī's hotel corridor.
