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Gift to school pays off, nabbing suspected vandals

Donated cameras help secure school

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A surveillance system recently donated to Waimalu Elementary School to combat graffiti quickly was put to good use, helping to capture three suspected vandals.

Thomas Lee, owner of Audio Visual Co. in Waimalu, planned to install a surveillance system at his Royal Summit home after it had been burglarized. But when he heard about the constant graffiti problem at Waimalu Elementary, Lee decided to donate the equipment to the school instead.

"We're just very touched by Lee's generosity," said Principal Sheldon Oshio.

Last week, three juveniles were arrested on suspicion of criminal property damage in the third-degree after the surveillance cameras caught them defacing school buildings.

— Rosemarie Bernardo



FULL STORY >>

By Rosemarie Bernardo

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Dec 13, 2008

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Businessman Thomas Lee had planned to put a $10,000 surveillance system in his Waimalu home after it was burglarized recently. But after hearing about a recurring vandalism problem at Waimalu Elementary, the owner of Audio Visual Co. instead donated the equipment and installation to the school.

"I thought this was more important over here," he said.

The donation paid immediate dividends in the form of arrests and appreciation.

At a school assembly yesterday, students and staff acknowledged Lee and Audio Visual Co. for helping to reduce graffiti on school grounds, a problem that has nagged the school for months.

Principal Sheldon Oshio said he is grateful to Lee for his generous donation, which helped reduce graffiti on campus 80 percent in the past week and a half.

"We have so much appreciation for him and the others who are looking out for our students," said Oshio.

After technicians completed installation of the system, the visual company held an instructional session for faculty and staff on how to use the equipment, which included four surveillance cameras. At about 2:50 p.m. the following day, Dec. 3, cameras at the rear of the school captured three boys defacing a building with graffiti. School officials printed still images of the youths and gave them and the video to police.

Later that day, police arrested one of the juveniles, a Waimalu Elementary student, on suspicion of third-degree criminal property damage. The next day, police arrested two other students, ages 11 and 16, who attend other schools in the district, according to police.

Police officers from Pearl City were also recognized yesterday for their assistance.

Lee told the assembly that he was about to install the surveillance system at his Royal Summit home after he and his neighbors were burglarized. But he instead decided to help the school, which is across from his company's showroom.

During the assembly yesterday, many of the school's 545 grade K-6 students thanked company officials and police officers with tinsel leis, cards and signs.

"With the cameras around, I feel safer. I feel Waimalu (Elementary) has a better environment," said fifth-grader Julie Oda.

Businessman Thomas Lee had planned to put a $10,000 surveillance system in his Waimalu home after it was burglarized recently. But after hearing about a recurring vandalism problem at Waimalu Elementary, the owner of Audio Visual Co. instead donated the equipment and installation to the school.

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Students at Waimalu Elementary School sang a song of appreciation yesterday for Audio Visual Co., an audiovisual systems integration company in Waimalu. The company donated and installed a $10,000 video surveillance system for the school, which had been plagued by vandalism. The school and students gave AVCO a thank-you presentation during an assembly in the cafeteria.

"I thought this was more important over here," he said.

The donation paid immediate dividends in the form of arrests and appreciation.

At a school assembly yesterday, students and staff acknowledged Lee and Audio Visual Co. for helping to reduce graffiti on school grounds, a problem that has nagged the school for months.

Principal Sheldon Oshio said he is grateful to Lee for his generous donation, which helped reduce graffiti on campus 80 percent in the past week and a half.

"We have so much appreciation for him and the others who are looking out for our students," said Oshio.

After technicians completed installation of the system, the visual company held an instructional session for faculty and staff on how to use the equipment, which included four surveillance cameras. At about 2:50 p.m. the following day, Dec. 3, cameras at the rear of the school captured three boys defacing a building with graffiti. School officials printed still images of the youths and gave them and the video to police.

Later that day, police arrested one of the juveniles, a Waimalu Elementary student, on suspicion of third-degree criminal property damage. The next day, police arrested two other students, ages 11 and 16, who attend other schools in the district, according to police.

Police officers from Pearl City were also recognized yesterday for their assistance.

Lee told the assembly that he was about to install the surveillance system at his Royal Summit home after he and his neighbors were burglarized. But he instead decided to help the school, which is across from his company's showroom.

During the assembly yesterday, many of the school's 545 grade K-6 students thanked company officials and police officers with tinsel leis, cards and signs.

"With the cameras around, I feel safer. I feel Waimalu (Elementary) has a better environment," said fifth-grader Julie Oda.

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