HONOLULU (KHON2) — It’s an ongoing problem business owners say is getting worse. The issue: shoplifting.
James Gieschen, president of Sugar Sugar Hawaii retail store, said enough is enough and wants prosecutors to do more to stop it.
“If we just boil it down to one word, what is the issue here? It’s inaction,” Geischan said.
He is frustrated because he said his shop has been dealing with shoplifting since they opened six years ago and things have only gotten worse.
“It’s gotten really bad recently,” Geischan explained. “It’s about one to two thefts per day across all locations. And that’s a huge hit for a small business.”
Geishcan has invested thousands into a top-of-the-line surveillance system. He posts photos of the shoplifters on his store walls as a deterrent, and he reports most of the incidents to police But he said nothing seems to change.
“Our experience working with HPD, has been actually really good. But for whatever reason, and I’m not here to judge what the reason is, once it gets to the PA’s Office 90% of our cases are not prosecuted,” Geischen explained.
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said 18 cases were referred to their office from HPD. Of those, five were declined due to insufficient evidence, three were dismissed by the court, one defendant was charged and sentenced, a penal summons was issued for another case, several others are waiting for penal summons review and there’s a bench warrant out for a defendant who was charged.
“We understand Mr. Gieschen’s frustration with shoplifters and we are committed to prosecuting cases that are brought to our office with evidence that is sufficient to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. However we cannot control factors outside of our control (such as decisions by a court, defendants or witnesses not showing up for court, etc.),” the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
But Geischen said 33 of his cases were submitted to the prosecutor’s office. And he said only two have resulted in someone being sentenced.
For him that’s not good enough.
“What I’d like to see prosecution happening on those clear cut cases,” he said.