Oahu marketplace owner hires private security to crack down on crime and vagrants
Honolulu HI June 11 2023 “You see all the bathrooms with the homeless, drugs, sex and all the tenants, they don’t even want to go there,” said Ave Kwok, the incoming owner of Maunakea Marketplace.
“We are to remove all vagrants that don’t have legitimate business at the marketplace.”
That was the goal of the private security team hired by Maunakea Marketplace, which has been a magnet for criminal activity.
“They would just pass by and grab stuff, you know, and we tried to not to react to it because they got more crazier,” said clothing vendor Rowena Sadaba. “So it was a massive mess.”
After years of feeling held hostage by homeless people, drug dealers and habitual criminals, a Chinatown property owner is taking security into his own hands, spending thousands of dollars a month to clean up Maunakea Marketplace.
Ave Kwok said spending $15,000 a month from his own pocket is worth making sure customers and vendors are safe, especially because there’s just not enough police presence in Chinatown.
“I understand that law enforcement is stretched thin,” said L. Smith, owner of Areo Security. “These tenants, these business owners, these taxpayers — they shouldn’t have to deal with homeless people that don’t pay taxes, that don’t contribute anything to society coming in here thinking they can take over the place.”
The team removed at least one woman and man — known to cause problems — loitering at the property.
“We are also to crack down on drug use, excessive loitering, we want to make it clear that this is a marketplace not a babysitting place.”
Security rummaged through trash cans and crevices to find drugs or weapons often hidden by people with bad intent.
“They’re using machetes, they’re using knives,” Kwok said.
Kwok is calling on law enforcement for more patrols in Chinatown and to work hand-in-hand with his private security guards.
“We don’t get the kind of service from HPD that we should if there’s an incident going on — a disturbance,” said security guard Carlos Hernandez. “It’s like a criminal has more rights than we do.”
The city said it’s still evaluating a proposal to supplement the Honolulu Police Department with private security as it grapples with a shortage of hundreds of officers.
But Friday’s sweep is meant to send a message.
“Our goal is to send out a message stating that it’s not going to happen at Maunakea Marketplace.”
