Recycling center burglarized

KAPA‘A — After 12 years in business, a local recycler suffered its first burglary, theft and vandalism Saturday. The cash loss devastated the owners, who said they fear a disgruntled former employee is the culprit.

The burglary was at the main office of Kaua‘i Community Recycling Services, located at 962-A Kipuni Way in Kapa‘a. It is an administrative warehouse and truck park in addition to a recycling center.

“We are a small recycling business that is providing a community service,” said James Higginbotham, co-owner with Bill Prout.

Higginbotham added that $5,000 “may not be that much to some people, but it is a huge hit on us.”

The thieves made off with $4,588 in cash and smashed two truck windows in the process.

There is normally around $5,000 in cash, he said.

Kaua‘i Police are investigating and have viewed security footage from a neighboring auto parts store, said Higginbotham. No one has come forward to report witnessing the crime from the 24-hour gym across the street, he added.

The recycling center’s own video cameras did not capture criminal activity. The cameras were aimed at different sections of the warehouse where activity occurs during the day, Higginbotham said.

“We are definitely going to update our security system,” he said.

The break-in has all the signs of an inside job, Higginbotham said. After breaking the door window near the latch the burglar(s) went straight to a room not visible from the office that contained the safe.

He believes the burglars expected to take the safe with them, but Higginbotham said he secured the safe to the concrete floor days earlier.

The burglars lacked the time or the tools to attempt a safe cracking job on the scene, he said.

Another reason the owner believes it was an inside job was that the burglars knew where to find hidden cash that was left for workers the following morning. The money was designated for their cash boxes at remote recycling locations.

It is hidden in various places that only an employee would know, Higginbotham said. There was no disarray that would indicate someone was searching for cash or valuables and it appears they knew right where to look, he said.

“It is the only day that the money is available in a secret hiding spot and they knew where it was,” he said.

In addition to the burglary, there were two recycling trucks parked in front that had their driver’s door windows smashed.

Business and renters insurance don’t cover the burglary, Higginbotham said. The truck windows are covered after a $500 deductible.

The person of interest is a 28-year-old male employee who was let go after about three years at the recycling center, Higginbotham said. He allegedly had a drug history but had cleaned up his act prior to being hired, but he allegedly started hanging out with a bad crowd and using meth again.

“We had to let him go,” he said.

After a brief absence, the ex-employee turned up in Kilauea to bother former co-workers at the Kilauea redemption station.

“He admitted that he is not working and was making a living ripping people off, and that he was on a four-day ice high without sleep,” Higginbotham said. “He is a definite person of interest.”

The response included an alleged veiled attempt to hold up the Kilauea redemption center with a finger in his jacket mimicking a gun, he said. The workers shrugged this off as a bizarre threat, and then the man supposedly stated he would “rip the company off later,” Higginbotham said.

“This guy already knows we are looking for him,” he said. “We called him, his girlfriend and his mother, and no one knows his whereabouts.”

The center has six full-time and four part-time employees.

“I like to believe in people and give them a second chance,” he said. “I hire people who have been busted by the law. We sit down with them, evaluate them and if they have turned the corner, we will give them a second chance.

“It is unfortunate when it turns around and bites you,” he said.

Higginbotham lives in Princeville and said the break-ins in that area are getting out of hand. He said the recent arrests offer hope that this will stop soon.

“I know ice is a problem on the island,” he said. “It is so sad that in such a beautiful place that people waste away their lives this way.”

Higginbotham said that one idea to receover the money was to raffle off his pride-and-joy Harley Davidson 2003 anniversary edition motorcycle. However, that idea was shelved when he found out that it would be in violation of gambling laws.

“We are going to try to come up with another idea,” Higginbotham said.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 241-1887.