tourist destroys sand sculpture

Teen Caught On Camera Destroying Elaborate Sand Sculpture Inside Iconic Hawaiian Hotel

An elaborate Waikiki sand sculpture is protected by a partition inside the lobby of the famous Royal Hawaiian hotel.

The sculpture, the first of its kind to be exhibited at the five-star resort, is said to represent two keiki — or Hawaii's children — during Makahiki season, the ancient Hawaiian New Year festival. The artist completed the piece in mid-July 2019, then went back home to Florida. Just a couple of months later, the hotel flew him right back to Hawaii to repair some unexpected damage.

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In August 2019, a teenage girl was captured on surveillance camera climbing over the partition that kept the sculpture safe from public harm. In the clip here, you'll see her proceed to destroy and deface the beautiful sand sculpture with her bare hands, knocking off one of the figure's heads, ripping through facial features, digging into the sand, and even throwing random objects at it.

All that time and hard work was ruined in just a matter of seconds.

Once the damage was done, the vandal fled with another teenage girl who'd been recording the incident on her phone.

She left $1,500 in damages in her wake, and hotel staff strung several leis over the destruction before the artist returned to make his repairs.

It wasn't long after Honolulu police shared the footage that they were able to identify the girls in question.

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Teen Caught Destroying Sand Sculpture in Luxury Hawaiian Resort

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Police are looking for a teen girl who they say was caught on camera defacing a sand sculpture in a luxury Hawaiian resort Monday night.

Surveillance video at the iconic Royal Hawaiian  hotel shows a girl climb over a barrier in front of the sculpture and knock off the head of one of the carved bodies. She then rips the nose off of another and claws at the sculpture.

After climbing down from the barrier, she throws a green pillow and another object at the sculpture. She leaves with another person, who was seen recording the incident on their phone.

The teen is a Hawaii resident, authorities said.

The Royal Hawaiian is famous for its pink exterior and is nicknamed "The Pink Palace of the Pacific." It's served as the backdrop to several movies, including "Punch-Drunk Love" starring Adam Sandler.

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Honolulu police searching for suspect who vandalized hotel sand sculpture

Honolulu police are searching for a woman who vandalized a sand sculpture at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel Monday evening, according to reports.

The vandal and another woman who recorded the crime on her phone were caught on hotel surveillance video, KHON reported.

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The video shows the woman laughing as she throws objects at the sand sculpture. She then climbs over a barrier to destroy part of it with her hands.

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One of the owners of Sandsational, which created the sculpture, plans to repair it on Friday, according to KHON .

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Suspected teen accused in Waikiki sand sculpture vandalism arrested

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) -Honolulu police have reported an arrest in the case of a vandalized sand sculpture in Waikiki.

Police say they’ve arrested a 15-year-old girl tied to the Aug. 12 incident that was caught on security cameras at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel around 11 p.m.

In the video, two girls were seen: One allegedly climbed over a barrier and repeatedly hit the work of art — the other recorded it on a cell phone.

The suspect arrested was not named because she is a minor.

Authorities said the teen was a Hawaii residents. She was booked for criminal property damage.

Copyright 2019 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

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Two Women Caught On Camera Ruining Sand Sculpture In Hotel Lobby

Hawaiian police are hunting down the two women.

Amelia Ward

Two women are being looked for by Honolulu police after being caught on CCTV wrecking an elaborate sand sculpture in a hotel lobby.

Footage shows one woman climbing over a barrier and swinging a pillow at the structure while her friend films the incident, which took place in the entrance to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The sculpture was vandalised on 12 August at about 11pm, with the woman who is intent on destroying the art then pulling the head off one of the people depicted in the sculpture.

The women, who appear to be in their late 20s or early 30s, are being searched for on the island - with Kohn2 reporting that the pair live there.

Visitors have noticed that leis - Hawaiian garlands - have been placed over the damage.

One man, named as Jim Bruce, said: "I had noticed that they put some leis where the head used to be. I thought that was a decent compromise, but it clearly doesn't look like it should."

Jill Harris, who co-owns Sandsational Sand Sculptures , told the news outlet that her partner Thomas Koet is in Hawaii and is in the process of repairing the sculpture.

"It's amazing how much effort you know probably went into it and how little it took to destroy it," said Bruce, a visitor.

People on social media are shocked at how thoughtless the girls were.

One person wrote in shock: "Seriously, what is wrong with people?"

Another said: "Unfortunately this is the society we live in. People think randomly doing ignorant, inconsiderate things is funny and cute. We need to go back to shooting people for foolishness."

Someone else, outraged at the act, said: "Well they will be caught for sure. I hope they spend time in jail. This is disgusting. People have no respect for other people, their time, their money, their work."

Another user posted: "It's so sad to destroy a beautiful piece of art like this."

Honolulu Police are looking for the women and shared videos from the hotel's surveillance cameras.

Hawaii News Now has reported that one of the minors who was captured on surveillance cameras vandalising a large sand sculpture at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel has been identified but not found.

According to reports, she is a Hawaii resident.

Topics:  World News , US News

Amelia is a journalist at LADbible. After studying journalism at Liverpool John Moores and Salford Uni (don't ask), she went into PR and then the world of music. After a few years working on festivals and events, she went back to her roots. In her spare time, Amelia likes music, Liverpool FC, and spending good, quality time with her cat, Paul. You can contact Amelia at [email protected] .

@ ameliasward

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Second girl arrested in Waikiki sand sculpture vandalism case

By Star-Advertiser staff

Aug. 23, 2019

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Honolulu police arrested a second juvenile suspect in connection with a sand sculpture vandalism case at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki.

Police arrested a 17-year-old girl Wednesday on suspicion of second-degree criminal property damage. A 15-year-old girl was also arrested Tuesday for the same offense.

Sgt. Chris Kim of CrimeStoppers Honolulu said the juveniles described as residents of Oahu were released pending further investigation.

CrimeStoppers and police sought the public’s help last week in identifying two suspects involving the vandalism that took place at the hotel on the night of Aug. 12.

Police released a surveillance video that showed an unknown female repeatedly striking the sculpture with a pillow.

She then climbed onto a protective barrier surrounding the artwork and defaced the sculpture with her hand while another female recorded the act on a cellular phone.

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Female tourist is caught on camera destroying a sand sculpture in the lobby of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Hawaii while her friend records the incident.

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Buffalo Bills-themed sand sculpture destroyed in Western NY: ‘This is a crime’

• Updated: Jun. 13, 2024, 3:15 p.m. |
• Published: Jun. 13, 2024, 3:14 p.m.

This Buffalo Bills-themed sand sculpture by Todd Pangborn was created in Lockport, N.Y., and destroyed less than a week later by children playing in it. (Provided photo) Courtesy Todd Pangborn

• Geoff Herbert | [email protected]

A Buffalo Bills -themed sand sculpture has been destroyed in Western New York.

Lockport Mayor John Lombardi III said on Facebook that the public artwork was allegedly damaged by a family that allowed their children to play in it, damaging it less than a week after it was created by Jamestown-based sculptor Todd Pangborn. The sculpture was displayed at Rivi-Erie, on the beach at Widewaters Marina along the Erie Canal.

“I am so sorry to hear about the malicious destruction of this masterpiece graciously funded by a terrific group of friends, spearheaded by our friend Ellen Martin,” Lombardi wrote . “This is a crime and I will do my best to see this through. Destruction of public property is a crime, and so is stupidity in some areas. I was informed by city employees that the parents allowed their children to do such a heinous act.”

The sculpture featured a buffalo on top of the word “Lockport,” with figures of star quarterback Josh Allen and rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman holding footballs. The Buffalo Bills logo was also prominently displayed, along with a nod to broadcaster John Murphy, a Lockport native who retired as the “Voice of the Bills” earlier this year.

According to the Lockport Journal , the sand sculpture was funded by the Niagara County Legislature, particularly Legislator Rick Abbott, in the amount of $3,000. On Facebook, Lombardi described it as a “privately funded community project.”

Pangborn sculpted it over the first weekend of June from 40 tons of sand. It took him about 25 hours of labor to complete.

“It’s unfortunate that some people have no respect for the work and effort put into something like this as well as the courtesy of allowing others to see and appreciate,” Pangborn told newyorkupstate.com. “Destroying a sand sculpture can actually be considered destruction of public property and is illegal. The worst part, however, is the lack of teaching their children to respect what others have done.”

Pangborn, who previously crafted a “Lock-Ness Monster” for the Lockport beach in 2017, said outdoor sand sculptures do not last forever without protection. However, the Bills artwork would’ve lasted at least a few weeks if it were left alone, he said.

Lombardi said anyone with information about the family whose kids damaged the sand sculpture should call the Lockport Police Department or his office directly at 716-439-6665. Lombardi said cameras will also be installed in the area.

Photos of Pangborn’s art can be seen at facebook.com/toddpangbornsculptureart and on Instagram @toddpangbornsculptureart .

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Teenage girls arrested for damaging sand sculpture at Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Posted: Aug 21, 2019 / 09:47 PM HST

Updated: Aug 21, 2019 / 09:47 PM HST

HONOLULU (KHON2) — On Oahu, police arrested two teenaged girls in connection with last week’s vandalism of a Waikiki sand sculpture inside the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The girls who are 15- and 17-years-old were arrested for criminal property damage and burglary.

Charges are pending.

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With the heavy rain and flooding, the vineyards and pastures have turned a vivid green as viewed on ... [+] January 26, 2024, in Solvang, California. Following the notoriety from the Academy Award-winning film Sideways, this buccolic farming region north of Santa Barbara has become a popular Wine Country stop for global and domestic tourists traveling between San Francisco and Los Angeles. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)

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Carmel has the flavor of a rich, refined East Coas town. Although Carmel has its own Tiffanys and a Rolex store, most shops close by 5 or 6PM. We did crash an evening art opening in a real estate office, admiring the art and the wine and cheese. A big farmer’s market with local musicians and entertainment takes place on the third Thursday of the month.

Our hotel, the new Stilwell, was like staying in a beautiful home that’s up to the minute modern, from the white walls and furniture to the gleaming new electric vehicle chargers. A boutique hotel with 42 nicely designed rooms with luxe bedding and plush robes, the Stilwell is in a quiet part of Carmel’s village. It’s an easy walk from shops, restaurants, galleries and Carmel Beach. Breakfast, which was hand-made, is included. Parking is complementary, as is high-speed Wi-Fi.

Dusk at the Stilwell Hotel, Carmel, CA. The Stilwell, opened in spring 2024, offers guests an ... [+] outside space with water and fire features, and an evening cafe with drinks and a pizza oven.

After a day of exploring the Central Coast, evenings at the Stilwell are relaxing, with its outdoor fire and water features. There are cushy chairs, firepits and blankets for the evening chill. The Café, open from 4-9PM, has a wood-fired pizza oven and also offers salads, charcuterie and drinks.

The hospitality provided by the staff, including the college kid triplets working there for the summer, was charming.

We wrapped our trip with the Pebble Beach 17-Mile-Drive , in Monterey about 15 minutes from Carmel. The drive is well worth the $12 entrance fee, even if you’re a non-golfer who doesn’t care about iconic golf courses. (The gate fee is reimbursed with a purchase of $35 at Pebble Beach Resorts restaurants.)

The entrance fee buys you a reflective drive amongst the trees, moss, beaches, hills and beautiful homes. There are giant trees at Crocker Grove, the roaring sea at Point Joe, and rocks with sea birds, seals, sea lions and the occasional sea otter. We strolled the white sands of Spanish Bay, where the explorer Portola camped with his men in 1769, on the 17-mile drive.

The Lone Cypress is a popular stop. Perched on a rock overlooking the Pacific, this icon of the Central Coast is bent and twisted but stands strong against the wind.

Lone Cypress circa 1992 in Carmel. (Photo by PL Gould/Images/Getty Images)

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