More security being considered for Aloha Stadium Swap Meet as vendors battle thefts

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Additional security could be coming to Aloha Stadium after a brazen robbery was caught on camera.
Merchants said the incident is just one of many.
The robberies at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet happen in broad daylight with thieves running off with thousands of dollars worth of merchandise.
The most recent incident was captured on camera Saturday morning.
Witnesses said a group of masked teenagers armed with hammers and other tools made off with gold chains and other items.
The owners are hoping the thieves can be caught.
“This is not the first time happening to me. It’s like second time and when I call for the police, it takes like one hour to came,” said the owner of the jeweler tent.
The owners’ daughter said they installed security cameras at their booth four years ago after an attack even recalling an incident with thieves when her mom was pregnant.
“It’s really hard because she doesn’t want to go into financial crisis or anything but she’s really scared to come out here,” said Stephanie Lum, the daughter of the victim.
HNN found a t-shirt vendor just a few tents away who had a similar experience.
“Sometimes they take the whole bag and they run. From last year until now, five times I’ve been robbed,” he said.
Aloha Stadium said it is working with the Swap Meet to review its safety plans to enhance security measures and prevent future incidents.
The stadium management said in a statement:
Aloha Stadium is aware of the recent incident affecting our vendors and want to express our concern for everyone involved. We are actively collaborating with Sodexo Live, who manages the swap meet, as well as local authorities, to ensure a thorough investigation and support for our vendors during this time. While we cannot disclose specific details due to the ongoing investigation, please be assured that the safety and security of our vendors and patrons are our top priorities. We are currently working on reviewing our security plans to enhance safety measures at the swap meet and prevent future incidents.
On Sunday, security could be seen patrolling the grounds.
HPD has not said if they have suspects in the case.
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