HILO — A 64-year-old homeless woman charged with robbery for a bizarre incident Monday evening in Hilo might be a fugitive from justice in California, according to prosecutors.
Pamela Morgen of Hilo was arrested about 7:35 p.m. Monday at the Prince Kuhio Plaza Sears store, according to a police log, and charged with second-degree robbery.
According to court documents filed by police, Morgen handed a note to a female Sears cashier that read, “This is a robbery. Put $20s, $50s and $100s here,” before putting a Safeway shopping bag on the counter.
She also reportedly told the cashier, “Give me the money in the register. I have a gun in this bag.”
The cashier allegedly refused Morgen’s demand, and Morgen left the store.
Documents state Morgen returned to Sears a short time later, after police had been summoned. She allegedly handed the note to the assistant manager and said she was the person who earlier tried to rob the store.
Morgen was arrested and, according to documents, told police she had planned the robbery for about three weeks because she had recently been kicked out of her residence and thought if she were caught, she’d have a place to stay.
She reportedly told police she didn’t have a gun and gave officers consent to search her bags.
No firearm was found by police.
At Morgen’s initial court appearance Wednesday, Deputy Public Defender Austin Hsu asked Hilo District Judge Michael Udovic to reduce Morgen’s bail from $5,000 to $2,000.
“These are her first charges, as far as I can tell, she’s ever had,” Hsu told the judge.
Deputy Prosecutor Glenn Shiigi requested Morgen’s bail be maintained and said she had refused to cooperate with a bail study.
“Our office did do a (National Crime Information Center) check and defendant has at least six aliases. She also … is listed as a fugitive from justice with a … felony warrant of arrest for her in California,” Shiigi said before being interrupted by Hsu.
“Your Honor, we object to that part being read into the record, also for that … statement being stricken from the record as that information was not given to my office previously,” Hsu interjected.
“I’ll deny your request to strike it from the record, but I’m going to maintain bail at this time,” Udovic replied.
The judge ordered Morgen to appear at 2 p.m. today for a preliminary hearing.
Second-degree robbery is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
