Kauai County Police are searching for a 20-year-old Kekaha man suspected of robbing Teresa’s Variety Store in Kekaha Friday night. Police said the man, identified as Thomas Duarte, is known to carry a .22-caliber rifle and knives and is considered
Kauai County Police are searching for a 20-year-old Kekaha man suspected of robbing Teresa’s Variety Store in Kekaha Friday night.
Police said the man, identified as Thomas Duarte, is known to carry a .22-caliber rifle and knives and is considered armed and dangerous.
At 10:20 p.m., Duarte, while wearing a beanie cap over his head and face, approached a cashier and while wielding a knife, pointed at the cash register and said he was going to take it, according to detective Kaleo Perez.
Duarte lifted the register, which contained between $1,500 and $2,000, off the counter and carried it away on foot and left the area, Perez said. No injuries were reported.
Duarte was identified as the suspect based on a police investigation, Perez said.
The Garden Island normally doesn’t publish names of criminal suspects before they’re formally charged, but is providing Duarte’s name based on police fears about him being potentially dangerous. Authorities said anyone with information on the whereabouts of Duarte should contact Crimestoppers at 241-6787, or Perez at 241-6747 or via his pager at 644-1274.
Crimestoppers offers a cash reward for information leading to arrests and convictions of offenders. Police say all calls are anonymous.
Staff writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net
