Police are alerting the public to a series of distraction thefts occurring in Waikiki.

"We have three similar cases this summer with two suspects who appear to be the same," Honolulu Police Department CrimeStoppers coordinator Det. Letha DeCaires said today. She added the two men appear to be involved in old cases dating back to December 1998.

The most recent incident occurred July 26 in the lobby of a Waikiki hotel.

A local Japanese travel executive, escorting a group of teenagers, placed a black cloth bag on the floor and was distracted for an instant. That's when the thief walked off with the bag. The incident was captured on surveillance video.

"In other cases," DeCaires noted, "the distractions were someone rattling or shaking a palm tree or knocking down a glass window. We can only remind people not to leave their personal items unattended and to stay alert."

The suspects are Hispanic males, in their late 30s or early 40s. Anyone with information can call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.

Woman charged in fatal shooting

Police yesterday charged a 28-year-old woman with second-degree murder in the Aug. 21 shooting of Hayward Julio in Waipahu.

Totie Nalani Tauala, who was arrested Friday in Village Park, is also charged with two firearm violations. Prosecutors are requesting $100,000 bail. Tauala will appear in District Court today.

No weapon was found when Tauala was arrested, but police reportedly have recovered a semiautomatic gun believed to be the murder weapon in the Salt Lake area.

Kahului man killed by bus

KAHULUI, Maui ­ A 92-year-old man was killed today when he was struck by a bus at 6:37 a.m. at the intersection of Kaulawahine Street and West Kamehameha Avenue. Maui police identified the man as Koichi Ito of Kahului.

The fatality is Maui County's 12th of the year compared with 16 on this date last year.