A funny thing has happened in the past 24 hours. The photos of the burglar “going shopping in our house” have gone viral, or close to it. Links to the photos have been posted and reposted on Facebook by lots of different folks. Thanks to all of you!
And there are results.
Early Sunday morning, I heard from a group of former Hawaii people now living in Las Vegas. They agreed the photo shows someone they know. I’ve also heard from folks in California and Washington State, as well as those in various parts of Ohau.
Quite a few people have identified the man as a Hauula resident. There’s one other prime suspect, based on the photo, who used to live in Kaaawa and may now live in Kahaluu or Kaneohe. Both names have been forwarded to HPD.
But this is just Day 1. Please keep your suggestions and tips coming my way.
And I’ll follow-up with a description of the cameras that caught our burglar in the act, which several people have asked about.
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Ian, please do post about the technology – but DON’T give any details about where your cameras are located!
Good to hear you’re getting tips. I posted it on twitter since I really don’t do FB, but didn’t get a response at all – not even one retweet. It’s not really a good medium for this sort of thing, apparently.
Ok I’ll try posting another comment rather soon after the other; maybe capcha won’t glitch when I post on a different entry.
RE: solution for the drug addict: He should a dose of some ‘tough love’ – in other words, spend some time in the clink & (hopefully) get to a drug rehab program. If that doesn’t work, he’ll just be out doing it again in a heartbeat. (See: Kailua revolving-door property criminals)
Glad to hear that you have a couple of leads for the authorities to check up on. Judging by the measures he took to conceal his fingerprints, I would say that guy is a “pro” and that this isn’t his first burglary.
Clearly all but one of any leads received are wrong. Yet they were reported to HPD!
Have the names of the wrongly identified people been posted by anyone on the web? And where do they go to get their reputation back if they have either been reported to HPD or posted on the web or both?
I blocked comments containing any names of suspects. I have no control over what happened when the link to my site was reposted by others, with their own comment streams. In regards to reporting to police–their function is to chase down possible suspects and whittle them down based on their investigations.
So if someone called HPD and gave them your name, you would not object to their chasing you down and investigating you?
I don’t think so!
If HPD came to you with a photo that looked like you engaged in a burglary, would you fault them for checking it out?
You mean if someone just told the HPD that he thought I looked like, say, a burglar? Of course I would object, especially if the HPD filed my name in their burglary suspect database and shared it with other law enforcement agencies.
you did *not* actually answer Ian’s specific question. you answered your own question, and it is *not* the same question. here is Ian’s question:
“If HPD came to you with a photo that looked like you engaged in a burglary, would you fault them for checking it out?”
thank you. if you avoid Ian’s question, it will be pretty clear.
Ian’s phrasing is wrong in this case! It is of the “have you stopped beating your wife” variety. Ian posted the picture and also gave it to the HPD and someone who visited Ian’s blog guessed wrong. As a result, an innocent person may now have a police record!!!
I objected to that.
What if a group of people, say of Japanese ancestry, looked like they may be spies. Would you allow the army to investigate them all?
Well, turn this around. Say you’re the investigator. You’ve got a photo of a person committing a crime. How would you proceed to figure out the person’s identity?
uh huh. you will not answer Ian’s question, and your explanation speaks for itself: “As a result, an innocent person may now have a police record!!!”
when people do this stuff online, there is no point in going further. you won’t budge. cheers! enjoy!
I am convinced about the HPD action, but they are not absolved altogether.
I suppose it would be up to the falsely accused to seek relief via whatever legal action may be available against HPD and against people who may have taken it upon themselves to broadcast the false accusation on the web or by word of mouth on in print or however else.
Clearly this is more complicated that the depth of the analysis so far (including this posting).
Personally if I didn’t do anything wrong I wouldn’t care if I were investigated.
Oops! Posted my earlier comment before reading your latest entry. Great news that you have recovered most of your possessions. But I hope that with whatever you plan to do, make sure that this guy’s family takes substantive action to ensure that he commits no more break-ins. Don’t let other people be victims because of misplaced mercy.