After losing shop in Lahaina fire, mom-and-pop now suffering from break-ins

KAHULUI (HawaiiNewsNow) - Tomas and Andrea Havranek lost their shop E-MOTO in the Lahaina fire last year. They have since relocated to Alamaha Street in Kahului.

Now they are suffering from back-to-back break-ins.

Around 4:45 a.m. Thursday, thieves shattered their door and stole four electric bikes.

Surveillance video captured two thieves stealing a total of four electric bikes — two electric dirt bikes, two electric bikes for children — and other miscellaneous items from the shop.

“I’m speechless. I don’t know what leads people to do that. I understand it’s Christmas, people are going through hard times, but if you don’t have money for expensive stuff, don’t steal it,” said owner Andrea Havranek.

The bikes that were stolen were Christmas presents.

Tomas now must tell his customers those gifts are gone.

“I have to call them and tell them there’s not going to be Christmas gifts for them,” he said. “They have to wait until the new ones will come, or we have to return the money, and they will go buy somewhere else.”

The thieves stole approximately $15,000 worth of merchandise this time.

Back in October, they stole more than $22,000 worth of items.

It all comes after the couple started all over again after the Lahaina fire last August and are still paying off their pandemic loan.

“It’s so sad,” said Tomas. “And I know that riders will never do anything like this. So, they are not riders. They were just people that are going to probably take the bikes and sell it for parts.”

The Havraneks have two children away in college and expenses are piling up.

They hope the community can come together to help them identify the thieves.

“To the community, we need to stick together. We need to look out for each other because we are in the same boat. We are all trying to just make a living and survive,” Andrea said.

If you have any tips, please call Maui police at (808) 244-6400.

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