Crime Spree

The other morning, I was having breakfast, and went to the car to get something. As I came through the trees and around the corner I saw a Hawaii County Policeman standing in the middle of Holowai Street in front of the car. I immediately wondered what I had done. Had my covid test at the airport come back positive and they have been trying to reach me? Unable to reach me, the government has sent the cops.

As far as I knew, I had done everything the state required of me – I had gotten a negative covid test result within 72 hours of traveling, I had submitted my information to their website so they could control the population, I had submitted to a covid test upon arriving in Hawaii, I had filled out the Department of Agriculture form while on the plane – that must be it. They have come for the sandwich baggie of carrots I had declared on the form!

I should be good to go – just like the teenager masquerading as a medical worker at the airport had said. As I walked past the car, I saw that the officer was listening to one of my neighbors – Brian, who I had just met yesterday. As I got closer, I gathered that Brian was telling him a story about chasing after a couple of guys two or three days ago who had broken into a house in the neighborhood. Brian indicated that one of these guys was the one that the police had arrested in the little blue car sitting along the side of the road towards the end of Holowai Street at the other end of my property.

What little blue car?

I looked down the street, and there it was. A mini Toyota sitting almost in the trees on the side of the road.

Apparently, the little blue Toyota had been stolen a few days ago. A regular crime spree; happening right here in front of me and I had missed out on all of it. There were two Hawaii County cop cars parked in the road and four police officers working over the car – gathering evidence, photographing, taking fingerprints, etc.

I later learned that Lorenzo had been talking with the guy in the Toyota, trying to detain him until the cops arrived. Scott and Brian had been working together nearby when they saw this guy -someone who grew up in the neighborhood and everyone knew – in fact, he was best friends to Lorenzo’s son who lives on Oahu – drive past them and they called the cops.

More concern about just leaving the car parked at the lot when I return to the mainland. Just one more thing to work out!

Later, I was at the park in Waiohinu filling up my water bottles at the free water station there, when an unmarked police car drove into the parking lot and parked about 20 feet away. I knew it was a police car from the little blue light on the top, and the two cops who got out. One of them walked over towards me, while the other walked to the front of the car as if to block me from jumping in and speeding away.

I recognized the officer coming towards me as one who was working on the blue Toyota and said, “So, you guys are all done up there with the Toyota?”

The officer stopped and the look on his face was one of “HUH?” “WHAT?”

He gathered his composure and asked, “Is this your car?”

I continue to fill the two dozen gallon water bottles I have with me as I talk with him.

“Yes” I answered. “well, it’s actually a rental”

“Is that your place up there?” he asks as he indicates in the direction of Mark Twain Estates.

“Yeah” I reply. “I own those two lots on the opposite side of the road from where you were looking at that little blue car.” As I am saying this, four more cars pull in to the parking lot – all with little blue lights on top, and all with two police officers in them.

The cops all get out of the cars, and I recognize the tallest one as the cop who was talking with Brian. I nod towards him and he nods back and kind of ducks his head and slinks back to his car with as much dignity as he can salvage after recognizing me.

I continue to explain to the other officer, “Yeah, my wife and I bought that place a couple of years ago and we come over as often as we can. Trying to tame the jungle so we can eventually build a house there.”

“I see,” he replies. “Did you talk with the guy in the car?”

“I didn’t even see the car until Brian was telling that officer his story about it” I answer as I nod towards the tall policeman who is trying to be as inconpicuous as possible.

“Well, have a good day”. He and his partner walk away and all the other cops join in a little huddle next to their cars before they each get into their cars and drive away.

What was THAT all about? I wonder as I watch them all drive away.