Operation ‘Barcode Bandits’ leads to five shoplifting arrests, additional felony arrests in Maui County

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Five people have been arrested in a retail theft crackdown in Maui County inside the Wailuku Home Depot.

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On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Maui Police Department partnered with Home Depot to address ongoing retail theft concerns affecting both the business and the broader community.

In collaboration with Home Depot Loss Prevention personnel and the Wailuku Patrol District Community Policing Unit, a comprehensive enforcement initiative was developed and conducted under the operation code name “Barcode Bandits.”

The two-day operation brought together Home Depot Loss Prevention Agents and personnel from the Maui Police Department’s Community Policing Unit and the Maui County Prosecutor’s Office.

Plainclothes officers collaborated with loss prevention staff to identify and apprehend individuals engaged in retail theft and other criminal activity within the store.

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Retail theft continues to be a significant challenge for local businesses, resulting in substantial financial losses that ultimately impact the community through higher costs and reduced resources. Many of those responsible are repeat offenders who frequently target multiple businesses throughout Maui County.

Operation Barcode Bandits resulted in the arrest and charging of five individuals for shoplifting-related offenses, including a 20-year-old Kihei man, a 34-year-old Paia man, a 36-year-old Wailuku man, a 39-year-old Haiku man, and a 65-year-old Kahului man.

The operation also led to five felony drug arrests, one felony arrest for habitual property crime, and one felony arrest for unauthorized possession of confidential personal information.

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