WAILUKU - A Lahaina man was sentenced Tuesday to a 10-year prison term after being convicted of four bank robberies within a three-month period last year.
James Thobe, 48, apologized for what he did.
"I recognize my guilt," Thobe said. "It was a situation where I suffered from some distorted thinking, had a lapse of judgment. I apologize to the court, to the community, to everyone involved."
Originally charged with four counts of first-degree robbery, Thobe was allowed to plead no contest to four reduced charges of second-degree robbery. The prosecution dismissed four counts of second-degree theft.
Deputy Public Defender Jon Apo argued that probation would be a fair sentence for Thobe, who has no prior criminal record.
While acknowledging that tellers and others were affected when Thobe threatened to set off a bomb in the banks, Apo said the device Thobe displayed was a pager with wires that didn't hurt anyone.
"It was never his intent to harm anybody," Apo said.
He said Thobe had been a victim of identity theft and was desperate for money.
"The reason he got caught is some marked bills from one of those robberies were found, having been used to pay his child's tuition at the preschool she attended," Apo said. "This was a man trying to live up to his responsibility."
Deputy Prosecutor Melinda Mendes said Thobe should have gotten jobs instead of robbing the banks with the device resembling a bomb and a note demanding money.
The string of Lahaina bank robberies began March 10 at the American Savings Bank, followed by robberies May 14 at Territorial Savings Bank, May 30 at Bank of Hawaii and June 9 at American Savings Bank again. All of the banks are on Papalaua Street.
Minutes after the last robbery, the branch manager saw the suspect get on a black and red moped and ride away. She called police, who blocked off an area around the bank before finding the moped parked at the Lahaina Surf complex on Wainee Street. An envelope with Thobe's name was in the moped.
Police arrested him the next day.
"He became a serial bank robber and he would not have stopped but for the fact that he got caught," Mendes said. "He got caught on luck, on good police work, on savvy employees."
She argued for a 20-year prison term, saying it was appropriate given the number of robberies and their effect on employees and others in the banks.
"He took away the comfort factor of these people," Mendes said. "No one should have to be scared or feel uncomfortable to show up to work."
In ordering the 10-year prison term, 2nd Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza noted that Thobe had been law-abiding before the robberies.
"Unfortunately, when you did this, you crossed the line," the judge told Thobe.
Thobe was ordered to pay $2,518 in restitution requested for two of the robberies.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at lfujimoto@mauinews.com.
