Hawaii police inform holidaymakers to convey valuables in to the ocean with them

Honolulu police have advised beachgoers to convey valuables with them into the ocean in a water-resistant bag.

The pressure attracted plenty of consideration on social media after they issued the warning to these holidaying in Hawaii.

“For these having fun with the seashore, don’t depart valuables unattended on the sand. As a substitute, use a water-resistant bag that you could take into the water with you,” The Honolulu Police Division mentioned.

However the police and the Customer Aloha Society of Hawaii, a nonprofit group that helps vacationers who turn into victims of crime or different issues, even have much more primary recommendation: Don’t take your valuables to the seashore in any respect. As a substitute, they are saying, depart them on the place you’re staying.

The variety of thefts in Honolulu usually, and Waikiki specifically, have been decrease final 12 months than in 2022 and 2021, however locals nonetheless have some recommendations on easy methods to keep away from changing into a theft sufferer on Hawaii’s well-known seashores.

Jessica Lani Wealthy, CEO of the Customer Aloha Society of Hawaii, recommends solely bringing with you what you want for the day. For instance, simply take $20 so your trip is not ruined when you lose it.

Prior to now, she helped a South Carolina lady who took all her jewellery along with her to the seashore after which had it stolen. Some Japanese guests introduced all their money with them. One man buried his pockets within the sand for safekeeping with the intention of digging it again up later however was by no means capable of finding it, even after volunteers from Wealthy’s group helped him look.

“You don’t must convey … 1000’s of {dollars} in money,” she mentioned. “You don’t must convey all your bank cards.”

Wealthy recommends guests use their lodge protected for valuables and at all times have one member of their social gathering stick with their belongings on the seashore.

“By no means depart your valuables unattended on the seashore,” Wealthy mentioned. “Tucking it below a towel, placing it in your tennis shoe is just not as protected.”

Waikiki comfort shops promote waterproof pouches that may maintain a cellphone and different objects. Some have lanyards so you possibly can put on them round your neck.

If you happen to depart baggage in your automotive, be sure you do not depart them anyplace seen, Wealthy mentioned.

Earlier this month, the society helped a girl who left her purse in her entrance passenger seat. Thieves smashed the automotive window and ran off with it.

In one other case, a girl from Los Angeles who stopped to see turtles at Laniakea Seaside on Oahu’s North Shore left her purse on the entrance seat of an open convertible. It was stolen.

If you happen to put your purse or bag in your automotive trunk, do it earlier than you arrive on the seashore.

“Don’t do it on the location of the place you’re going to park your automotive as a result of individuals are watching,” Wealthy mentioned.

Maj. James Slayter, the Honolulu Police Division’s officer answerable for the vacationer mecca of Waikiki, reminds folks to roll up their home windows and lock their doorways.

“It’s essential to only take plenty of proactive measures to stop simple crimes of alternative from occurring,” he mentioned.

Mindy Pennybacker, a surfer and writer of “Browsing Sisterhood Hawaii: Wahine Reclaiming the Waves,” mentioned she places her automotive key, driver’s license, bank card and sunblock in a plastic bag and zippers the bag inside a small pocket of her surf shorts. A loop contained in the pocket additionally secures the important thing.

She will do that as a result of her key’s an older kind she inserts immediately right into a automotive door and ignition, not an digital key that might get broken by saltwater, she mentioned.

She at all times outlets for wetsuits or shorts which have a well-fastening pocket.

“You actually can’t depart something within the automotive in any respect so far as I can inform. Wherever, by any seashore,” Pennybacker mentioned.

She additionally leaves her cellphone at house.

“It’s simply not value it,” she mentioned.

How protected is Hawaii?

Honolulu is Hawaii’s greatest metropolis with a metropolitan space — all on the island of Oahu — of practically 1 million. It has crime like many different locations. However those that turn into crime victims are a small share of the practically 10 million guests who journey to the islands annually.

Honolulu Police Division information present there have been 1,927 situations of theft in Waikiki final 12 months, down from 2,276 in 2022 and a pair of,167 in 2021.

For all of Oahu, theft circumstances dropped 23% and seven.1% throughout the identical durations.

Slayter, the police main, mentioned the town is working with the Waikiki Enterprise Enchancment District nonprofit group to put in lockers at some seashores to present guests one other choice to retailer their belongings.

It is simple to turn into complacent. Wealthy and Slayter each say some vacationers are lulled into pondering that Hawaii is so stunning that nothing dangerous may occur to them right here. Wealthy as soon as even helped a legislation enforcement officer visiting from Virginia whose official ID was snatched when he and his spouse went swimming and left their belongings on the sand.

Many theft victims inform Wealthy they by no means thought they’d be those to be preyed upon.

“Hawaii is a protected place,” she mentioned, “however we additionally advise that guests additionally use widespread sense when going to the seashore.”