Posted on: Friday, August 30, 2002
Police Beat
Firefighters return to Wai'anae slopes
Firefighters were back in Wai'anae yesterday afternoon battling a brushfire near the site of a fire that burned Wednesday.
Capt. Kenison Tejada, Fire Department spokesman, said crews returned at 3 p.m. to fight a fire about 400 yards mauka from Wednesday's fire near Ala 'Akau and Ala Hema streets.
Because the later fire was in mainly mountainous terrain, crews planned to let it burn itself out. The fire was declared contained at 6:25 p.m.
Ten fire units responded to yesterday's brushfire, which scorched between 20 and 30 acres.
Man kidnapped in school lot
A 26-year-old Waipahu man told police he was kidnapped by three men who broke into his car early yesterday in Pearl City.
He said he escaped by jumping out of the car at Ho'omoana and Ho'ohai streets.
Police have classified the case as a second-degree robbery, kidnapping and auto theft investigation. There were no arrests and the car has not been recovered.
The man and a woman were in his car in the Momilani School parking lot, from about 2:45 to 3 a.m. when they were confronted by the intruders. The man said he was punched in the eye.
Police were told that one of the assailants forced the woman out of the car before the three drove off with the man.
Girl, 10, reports fondling in park
Police have asked for the public's assistance in finding a man accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Old Honolulu Stadium Park in Mo'ili'ili.
The man approached the girl and asked her to go bowling with him, police said.
He suddenly placed his hands around her and fondled her. She broke free and ran toward First Hawaiian Bank on the other side of Isenberg Street.
The man, who called himself Jonathan, was described as in his mid-30s, 6 feet 2 and 220 pounds, with a muscular build. He had a tattoo of a nude woman with a snake on his left calf, five loop earrings on his left ear and a loop earring and a mood earring on his right ear. He was carrying a blue backpack and wore blue jeans, a dark-blue floppy hat, a dark-blue T-shirt with a yellow-and-red sun logo, and dark blue sneakers.
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
Alarm users get break on deadline
Honolulu police said they will wait another month before enforcing a new city law that required businesses and homeowners to register their security alarm systems by Aug. 25.
Lt. Kennard Finn of the Records Division said the Honolulu Police Department wants to give security alarm owners and clients more time to register.
"We want to increase public awareness of the law first," Finn said. "The registrations are steadily coming in, but we're still missing a lot of people."
Finn estimated that 16,000 homeowners and businesses had registered with HPD as of yesterday, with several thousand more yet to register. A $15 fee is required, followed by a $5 annual renewal fee.
Police will assess a $50 fine to people or businesses whose alarms register more than three false alarms in a 12-month period.
Most false alarms are caused by improper installation of systems or by user error. The city ordinance was intended to give people an incentive to reduce the incidence of false alarms.
Kaimuki robber used stolen car
A man robbed American Savings Bank in Kaimuki yesterday afternoon.
The robber entered the branch at 1139 12th Ave. at 1:30 p.m. and showed a note saying he had a gun. He took the money, ran through the rear lot and was seen driving a silver Daiwoo with the Hawai'i license plate JGS448 — a rental car that was reported stolen July 12 in Waikiki.
The robber was described as 30 to 40 years old, about 5 feet 7 and 150 to 160 pounds. He has straight, neck-length black hair and a mustache and was wearing a dark baseball cap and a dark, long-sleeved T-shirt.
Tips on his whereabouts can be given to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
Surveillance image of robbery suspect.
