HONOLULU(KHON2) — The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) have recovered nearly all of the weapons stolen from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DNLR) on Thursday.
At least two suspects were arrested with stolen guns found in their possession. Police spent hours Friday searching a home just off of Round Top Drive not far from the DLNR baseyard where the burglary took place.
Less than 48 hours after more than a dozen firearms were stolen from the DLNR baseyard, police were able to recover them.
Some of the weapons were found in a home on Maunalaha Road just across from the baseyard.
HPD and DLNR would not confirm how many guns were recovered.
Sen. Lynn DeCoite, (D) Public Safety Committee Vice-Chair, said it’s a relief knowing some of them are off the streets.
“I gotta applaud them,” DeCoite said. “People can sleep little more easier knowing that we have recovered that within the possession of the police. And so I got mahalo and aloha HPD for getting on this.”
She still has questions about how the weapons were stored and why DLNR has some of those guns.
“The question really is is does the firearms need to be there? Do those firearms need to be there and why is an assault rifle within that inventory? I mean, you if you’re doing invasive species, do you need an assault rifle for that,” said DeCoite.
In an email, a spokesperson for DLNR said:
“The firearms were stored in a gun safe in a locked building. The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife is reviewing security at all of its facilities. Enhancements are based on funding.”
DeCoite said weapons should be stored at the main office, which has tighter security.
“I mean, it’s always about the funding, but it’s also about prioritizing what is more important when it comes to safety, and this is a major safety issue that could jeopardize the entire community,” said DeCoite. “And people that are out there having to deal with these guns on the streets.”
She said the legislature should be responsible enough to appropriate funds if it’s a matter of public safety but she is calling for DLNR to take responsibility and to prioritize.
