Ninety-six burglaries were reported in Lahaina in the first four months of the year, compared with 86 burglaries during the same period last year. People are stealing to get drugs. In the first four months of the year, Lahaina police investigated a string of burglaries of ground-floor condominium units in the area from Honokowai to Kahana. Usually, the units were entered through screen doors that were left unlocked by occupants or were cut by burglars. We have had an increase in that type of cat burglary cases.
People are more brazen.
Such burglaries have occurred less frequently in the past couple of months, Lawrence said. He said police recommend that residents not risk their lives over property, which can be replaced. Similar burglaries of condominium units along the beach have been reported to police in Kihei, which was the area of Maui County with the highest number of burglaries 143 in the first four months of this year. The number was 13 percent higher than the 127 burglaries reported during the same four months last year. But Maui police Lt. George Fontaine, commander of the Kihei Patrol District, said the numbers slowed in May.