Car Break-Ins In Hawaii
 

Everyone, please beware there is a MAJOR PROBLEM with rental car break-ins on all of the islands in Hawaii. We had a rental car broken into outside of Honolulu while it was parked in a busy McDonald's parking lot.
Our cameras that were stored in a duffel bag on the floor of the back seat were stolen on our 4th day in Hawaii. Talk about being shocked. The passenger side front door was rigged and opened by the thieves. The police informed us that 3 cars were broken into within 5 minutes in the exact same area.
There is a major problem with Crystal Meth and the druggies break into cars and pawn the loot. The police put us in touch with the Aloha Society (like a Travellers Aide Society) who gave us gift certificates for disposable cameras at the ABC stories and a bag of goodies. Obviously, this is a very serious and frequent crime in Hawaii. The Aloha Society rep told us that many lose their entire luggage from the trunk of rental cars if they stop before they reach their hotels. Please be careful!

Thanks for the tip! I have been to Hawaii a few times and I NEVER cared for Waikiki. Even on my honeymoon. I thought it was dirty! Even at night, you see prostitutes walking around near the hotels. I imagine they do have a huge drug problem there. What a shame. If the island cleaned up, it would be lovely. Sorry to hear of your misfortune.

Waikiki is a great place for vacation. They tell you to keep your stuff in the trunk. Keep an eye on the car if possible.

Auto break-ins are crimes of opportunity and are common in areas where there are a lot of people who might have things worth stealing in their car--whether in Hawai`i or on the mainland. Theives have learned that visitors often leave valuables in their car, so rental cars in tourist areas are targeted. It is a problem in CA beach areas like Huntington Beach, Santa Monica and Venice. It is a problem in the beach areas where my parents live on the gulf coast of Florida. It is a problem at wilderness trail heads, as well as in rural, suburban and metropolitan areas. My car was even broken into in my own driveway in a nice, low-crime suburban area in southern California. Why was my car targeted? I left a bag on the passenger seat in the car overnight.

Unfortunately, crime is everywhere, even here in paradise. I am sorry to hear that you were targeted during your visit. It is unfortunate that you lost your cameras, but the best advice I can give anyone, anywhere, is to not leave valuables in the car, especially in plain sight.That applies in Hawai`i as well as anyplace else.

When we were in Maui 4 years ago, we were warned not to leave any valuables in our car. There were volunteers posted at Honolua Bay and other roadside parking areas warning visitors to take all their belongings with them.
Good suggestion no matter where you travel.

Totally agree with here_today...
Crime is everywhere. It's a fact of life that the criminals will gravitate toward those people with higher disposable income and those who feel insulated from the crime at their hometowns while on vacation in "paradise" are most likely to let their guards down and become victims.

There are also thefts occurring on cruise ships and in hotels / motels around the world. Lock your valuables in the hotel safe, if need be.

There is no problem with Crystal Meth in Costa Rica, but there are equal chances of auto burglary there, as we learned in September '04. It's not always drugs.

There are muggings in New Orleans - and anywhere else people are drinking and unaware of their personal security.

I don't leave anything in my car overnight I cannot live without. Especially now that the holiday season is approaching. Auto burglary occurs in shopping centers/malls.

Once had a car towed away from my driveway - it was a "paperwork error". I recovered my car, but some contents were missing. Nobody saw anything. I never leave my briefcase in my vehicle. Nor my camera. Nor my laptop. I always pocket my cell phone and my keys.

Enjoy yourselves. Think like a criminal for a minute or two, prepare yourselves & your belongings, and then relax...

Ok, so this is great. Hours after I decided to pick Oahu over Maui and book my non-changeable, non-transferrable, non-refundable trip, my first to Hawaii, I am learning that Waikiki is dirty, has dope, prostitutes and thieves! That is certainly not my idea of a tropical paradise!

<Talk about being shocked.>
Sheez, Spatz! Don't travel much, do ya? What was so shocking? Honolulu is a big city and one of the most popular vacation spots in the world -meaning tons of tourists.

<Everyone, please beware there is a MAJOR PROBLEM with rental car break-ins on all of the islands in Hawaii.>
This happens in most larger cities, not just cities and towns of the Hawaiian Islands. Of course it's more predominant in cities that attract more tourists.

<There is a major problem with Crystal Meth and the druggies break into cars and pawn the loot.>

Batu is bad here, but it's also a problem in the mainland as well. Car break-ins are the easiest method for ice addicts to supply their need. Residents get their cars broken into too but not as often as tourists cause we know better and we don't carry all our valuables in the car. I wouldn't do this anywhere in the US, Europe or any continent. People are people, some are bad, some ok and some can't resist temptation, whether that comes in the form of a pipe or loaded down rental car with lots of goodies inside.

<I NEVER cared for Waikiki. Even on my honeymoon. I thought it was dirty! Even at night, you see prostitutes walking around near the hotels. I imagine they do have a huge drug problem there.>
OH MY GOD!!!! How can that be???? I mean, you certainly won't find this happening in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, etc..............will you?????? (rolling my eyes)

<If the island cleaned up, it would be lovely.>
So then we can put you down for 2 weeks of working in a Honolulu rehab center or center for abused women next time you visit. If you're not part of the solution..........you're part of the problem! Or......you could vacation somewhere else!

kolohegirl : you've met these posters before. These are the same people you stood behind in line at the grocery store checkout who load 120 grocery items onto the conveyer belt and then wait until the total is announced by the checker before they open their purses and dig for their checkbooks and...

Don't get worked up by this. Everyone else knows the reality.

<Ok, so this is great. Hours after I decided to pick Oahu over Maui and book my non-changeable, non-transferrable, non-refundable trip, my first trip to Hawaii, I am learning that Waikiki is dirty, has dope and prostitutes and theives! That is certainly not my idea of a tropical paradise!>
RELAX, gz! No matter where you go, you're going to find an undesirable element (drugs, crime, and prostitution). Hawaii is no exception. Honolulu is a big city and you probably will be disappointed if you are expecting a desserted, pristine, empty beach setting there. Honolulu/Waikiki area has all the trappings of a big city - major development, great eats, freeways, crime, shopping malls etc. BUT, a word of advice......see Honolulu and Waikiki for what it's worth but by all means get out and explore the other areas of the island. Go Kaneohe, Kailua, Sunset Beach, Haleiwa, Pipe, Laie etc. You're bound to find an area that fits your personal description of "paradise". By the way.....yeah, you should've gone Maui, but then again....I'm biased. I live Maui! Chill out and have a great time.

LOL Mahalo, TripleSec! I know exactly what you mean. Then these same people complain about how expensive the groceries are in Hawaii.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now. Just kinda got me going cuz Hawaii's my home and I no like hear anyone talk stink about my home!

Aloha!

kolohegirl......NOTHING stinks about Hawaii!! Dont let em get you all riled up.Take a deep breath and fix me and my buddy Gabriel a MaiTai, eh!!! Be there in a jif....:D

For 'gzseattle'...

I went to Waikiki for the 1st time about a year ago. I LOVED it, had a great time, thought the place was beautiful. It was not dirty, nor did I see prostitutes or obvious drug activity. I didn't have a rental car, so didn't have those concerns. But I was traveling solo and getting around on foot & had no problems whatsoever. I'd return in a heartbeat!

Reply to <font color="blue">gzseattle</font>,
We had similar concerns to what you've expressed when we visited a couple weeks ago, but found that there are other nice locations on Oahu that felt quite safe to us. Furthermore, our experiences have been identical to what the authors of <font color="blue">Oahu Revealed</font> state, that they have experienced no problems with car break ins.:S-

Shoots! Blenders already going!

Aloha.

Thanks kolehegirl, I am feeling better already :)

I have been undecided for many months about where to go Oahu or Maui. I wish I could afford to go to both places but oh well. So in the end I picked up Oahu. Actually, I did so last night and made the reservations. And I picked Oahu precisely because it is not all deserted, pristine, empty beach setting but offers both that and the excitement of a big city (or at least that's what I hope).

Hey, I asked this question elsewhere also but, outside of Waikiki and leeward side, would it be possible to find calm beaches in Oahu this time of the year? The beaches you listed all seem nice, I just hope that they are all not rough with big surfs.

Yup, you are right that every big city has those problems. I was only being sarcastic. It is just frustrating that those undesirable elements have infested almost every great location, be it Paris, Vienna, London, Manhattan, Hawaii, Las Vegas (well, its ok in Las Vegas. After all, it is the &quot;sin&quot; city!)

&gt;Hey, I asked this question elsewhere also but, outside of Waikiki and leeward side, would it be possible to find calm beaches in Oahu this time of the year? The beaches you listed all seem nice, I just hope that they are all not rough with big surfs.&lt;

Ala Moana beach is probably the most popular beach park on the island - and it is as calm as it gets. It's right outside of Waikiki, so it's right in town.

This has been a problem for years. Every book you read states do not leave stuff in your car especially at the beach! Make your car look like a local...put puka shell necklaces on the rear veiw mirror. We pack some just for this reason...you can also get some at Hilo Hattie each time you visit their store. Do not leave maps or discount coupons in open view,,,dead give away. You are on vacation just like any other place,,,you can't let your guard down. jjj

Hate to break it to you, jjjchip, but a rental car is still a rental car, even with Hilo Hattie shell lei hanging on the rear view mirror! lol First dead give away (after the shear number of identical Dodge Neons and Chrysler convertibles): No license plate frame around the rear plate.