TWO men were arrested for using a police sergeant’s stolen debit card after multiple security camera recordings showed them using the card at various businesses.
When police investigators asked defendants Jimmy Rengunan Joaquin Jr. and Edward Palacios Castro how they got the stolen debit card, they both pointed at each other, each claiming the other was responsible.
Joaquin, 32, and Castro 37, appeared for a bail hearing before Superior Court Associate Judge Wesley Bogdan on Tuesday morning.
The defendants were charged with forgery, and misuse of financial instruments.
The judge imposed a $1,000 cash bail on both defendants and remanded them to the custody of the Department of Corrections.
The defendants were ordered to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 13, at 10 a.m., and for an arraignment on Sept. 25 at 9 a.m.
Chief Prosecutor Chester Hinds appeared for the government while Joaquin was represented by the Public Defender’s Office. The court said Castro will be represented by a defense attorney.
Theft incident
On Aug. 22, 2023, the Department of Public Safety dispatch received a call from an off-duty police sergeant reporting a theft incident.
He told investigators that his Bank of Hawaii debit card was stolen and was being used at different business establishments. He said a total amount of $669.15 had already been charged to his card.
The next day, after reviewing surveillance footage from stores and a gas station, investigators identified Joaquin and Castro as the persons swiping the debit card and signing the receipts.
In an interview with the police, Joaquin said Castro went to Joaquin’s house and asked for help to get money, saying he, Castro, had a Bank of Hawaii card. According to Joaquin, Castro said the card belonged to Castro’s aunt.
When shown surveillance footage from different establishments, Joaquin admitted that he was the one wearing a red T-shirt.
Castro, for his part, told police that he went to Joaquin’s house because Joaquin owed him, Castro, money. According to Castro, Joaquin showed him a blue Bank of Hawaii debit card and said, “That’s the way to get your money back.”
Castro said Joaquin had the debit card the whole time and that he, Castro, only swiped the card two times.
When shown a surveillance footage from a business establishment, Castro admitted that he was the one wearing a blue ball cap, camouflage green jacket and dark camouflage short pants.
In another surveillance footage, Castro said he was the one wearing a police polo shirt and dark camouflage short pants.
Castro said Joaquin dropped him off at a poker establishment where Castro waited for Joaquin’s return, “but he never did.”
Castro told police that he bent the debit card in half and threw it away.
Police later recovered the debit card with Castro’s help.
