Thief!

A big jar of pennies was stolen this morning from Rep. Scott Nishimoto's office. All of the House members are participating in the "Penny Wars" fundraising project for the Hawaii Food Bank. Prominently displayed, the jars are set out for people to donate their pennies to help feed Hawaii's hungry.

Auwe!

Rep. Blake Oshiro, an attorney and Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee, announced at the end of session today that whoever stole the pennies should be aware of the following:

If the amount stolen exceeds $100, it is theft in the 3rd degree and considered a misdemeanor, with a sentence of up to 1 year in jail.

If the amount stolen is less than $100, it is theft in the 4th degree and considered a petty misdemeanor, with a sentence of up to 30 days in jail.

We hope to see the jar re-appear soon. And, by the way, the legislature does have its own power to prosecute crimes!

UPDATE: The pennies are back as of this afternoon. Mahalo Penny Thief!