Recent carjackings on Maui and in Waikiki have raised concerns about safety in Hawaii. It’s time for visitors and residents to be more aware while enjoying the islands.
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54 thoughts on “Recent Hawaii Carjacking Incidents: A Growing Concern for Tourists Or Not?”
So why is this guy Helmund on the Street? We hear all about Governor Green and ‘Regenerative Programs’, how about Public Safety, how does this turd have a gun?
Just a thought: Extensive criminal background, outstanding warrants, bail. Go figure!
I drove Piilani Highway on my only trip to Maui. My biggest concern wasn’t crime, but not getting my rental car trashed by the couple of large pickup trucks headed the opposite way on the very narrow dirt portion. Yes, it is slow going.
A slightly tongue in cheek solution would be to rent cars with manual transmissions. Car jackers seem to have no clue how to drive them, but neither do most others these days. Yes, I drive one.
Like how hard is it to figure out for locals the percentage of cars that leave a Hotel Resort is probably a rental car. My guess 90%. Especially if the occupant’s are dressed like they are from somewhere else. Be safe take a taxi,Uber,Lyft,ride share, or public transit and avoid the whole problem. That’s the risk you take when you travel with billboard license plates.
Actually, there are quite a few locals at Resorts, at least in West Maui, where I live. However, the story about the couple who had their rental car stolen was in an area where there is no public transportation nor Uber or Lyft. Your comments make me think you have never been to Maui. Also, the police did find the car and the hijacker and he is back in prison.
Easy fix. Don’t rent cars with rental car plates that identify it as a rental vehicle. Tourist’s carry valuables in rental cars and they don’t have personal registered owners. Maybe consider ride share or Uber or Lyft.
Company name plates make it harder for authorities to identify the exact vehicle to apprehend.
The safest way to avoid crime Hawaii is simple don’t go!!!!!
In the state of Wisconsin, there is a rash of car thefts. Many end up crashed and trashed. Mostly being done by teens. If caught, they’re arrested for….. “using a car without the owners consent”. I’m not kidding! Slap on wrist and back on the streets the next day
Yes, we live just outside of Madison. Crime is on the rise with no consequences. When we first moved here it was a safe, great city. Now we choose to live rural, where crime is still lower, but crime is in the rise everywhere.
We’re rural, west of Madison and are super vigilant when in Madison. We’ve not had any incidents in Maui but crime can happen anywhere. Until they change the judicial system and increase consequences for crimes, deny bail for serious crimes and 2nd offenders, nothing will improve. Spend the money for more jails and prisons. Face it, some people have no moral compass and can’t be placed back into society. Many are mentally ill and need to be someplace they can’t hurt others. Too often the rights of the offender seem more important than the rights of the victim.
On a lighter note, why would anyone think Hawaii is safe with popular TV shows glorifying crime like 5-0, NCIS, White Lotus, etc.?
Who knows. Maybe this was a scare tactic story setup by some government agency to shoe away blue collar tourists. If a tourist isn’t renting a limo or chaffered type of paid high dollar tour group then weed out the non welcomed rental car crowd. Someone of this criminal history should have not been released in the first place which don’t make any sense to me. How did the person even get a gun? I thought guns were illegal for civilian’s to possess in Hawaii except law enforcement personnel. Are trackers put on rental cars? Who’s really tracking them if they are? Who can you really trust?
The 1st sentence of your comment is unbelievable. As I mentioned in my comments, a college of mine was assaulted at gun point near Makawao. We live here, not sure where you live thinking there is a government agency setting this up on purpose…wow!
My state don’t denote which type of tourist’s are wanted or welcomed either. In my state we even try to take care of the homeless in providing housing etc. Rich people don’t rent cars.
They are choffered or take a limo or pay to be taken places.
Ummm…Hawaii has crime like any other state in the nation. It might be a little lower per 100,000 in population than some other states, but it’s not Japan. You better lock your front door and your car door like everywhere else in the U.S.
Hawaii IS the 50th State. As a state, the citizens have all the rights of citizens of any other state – including the right to bear arms. Again, it’s not Japan where it is illegal for civilians to own guns.
Hawaii has the usual plethora of crimes, including robbery, arson, rape, assault, drugs, extortion, embezzlement, and yes, even murder and organized crime. The rate might be a little lower per 100,000 in population than some states, but it’s by no means the safest. You better lock your front door and car door when you’re there.
This article is a little misleading, as to read it, the reader may have the false assumption that carjackings are rare, and when they happen, they only happen to tourist. It doesn’t just happen to tourists.
You are right on one point, Japan doesn’t allow citizens to bear arms which is why they have less crime. In the US, not all states allow it and those that have the least restrictions have higher crimes. I think Alabama is on top of that list. We are still much safer in Hawaii than most other US states.
The overwhelming majority of people who commit crimes involving guns are criminals who are not allowed to have guns to begin with. Legal gun owners are a very small percentage of statistics in terms of crimes committed with guns… Government’s own statistics…
Best Regards
Liberal bail laws lead to massive increases in crime. Just ask anyone in CA, NY, OR or WA.
This guy was out on bail after kidnapping. I bet the bail wasn’t even that high ND with a bondsman you only need 8% so 100k bail means fronting 8k.
With his extensive criminal past why would they grant him bail for Kidnapping?!? Because liberal states are running themselves into the ground.
I was carjacked at gun point on a test drive in 2000 when it was at epidemic levels in California. Let me tell you I’m fortunate to be alive and able to write annoying posts here on BOH.
All kidding a side a week after my jacking another salesperson was jacked at a different dealership and was murdered. That one hit home with me.
If the jackers on Hawaii get away with their crime or if the media glorifies the jackers then yes it could become a problem.
Hi Richard.
Thank you!!
Aloha.
Thanks BOH, been running hard all day first chance to see your response.
As a side note the fellow that jacked me was caught and found guilty, but unfortunately for him he later found out that my dear wife was employed by California’s department of corrections. Needless things didn’t go well for him while in prison.
I agree with most of the replies on here as they are mature responses and I can not add anything better said. I did see a social media post on my fb account and was appalled by the blaming of the victims. I immediate deleted that account as it was run by the same moderator that made the statement and I will not return to that social media site. I love that I can read mature reviews on BOH. I feel bad for the victims, I feel bad that the bad guy does not get help to change his ways and I feel bad for the world that the governments will not lock these people up. Yes, trend is the new word and it will be trend until people pay for their crimes committed.
Judges and parole board members need to be financially liable for their poor decisions. A doctor can be sued for malpractice causing harm. Why not a judge who carelessly releases someone likely to re-offend?
I like that idea!