Crime Reduction Unit officers from the Pearl City patrol district arrested three people on suspicion of being in a stolen car on the 99-900 block of Halawa Heights Drive at 2 p.m. yesterday. They were surprised to find that one of the suspects, a 34-year-old man described by police as a "major player," was not in jail.

Warren White Jr., who ranked No. 1 on HPD's Career Criminal Unit list of most-wanted auto-theft suspects last November when he was charged with stealing two cars, was a passenger in the stolen car. He was arrested yesterday with two women, ages 41 and 33, for alleged auto theft.

White was released five days ago after posting $20,000 bail, according to his attorney, Logan Young. White was granted a bail reduction from $120,000 for the November charges, Young added.

The attorney declined comment on his client's arrest yesterday.

"It's both unbelievable and frustrating," Arita said of White's arrest. "We keep making arrests but guys are being let out. It's a revolving door but his was a quick revolving door."

According to Arita, there were 4,140 reported auto thefts from January to September 2001. That increased to 6,111 over the first nine months of 2002, a 47.6 percent jump.