Police Beat

Advertiser Staff

Man charged in kidnap of girl

Police yesterday charged a 24-year-old man, who sells snacks out of an apartment unit in a Halawa public housing complex near Aloha Stadium, with kidnapping in connection with an incident involving an 11-year-old girl.

Gabriel K. Bernabe, who has no prior criminal convictions, was released at 7:30 p.m. after posting $25,000 bail and will be arraigned Monday at District Court.

According to police, Bernabe operates a "manapua shop" out of his Kohomua Street unit. He is accused of luring the girl into a room and handcuffing her on Monday. The girl began crying and was released unharmed, police said.

Woman goes into labor in traffic

Morning rush hour today on the H-1 Freeway meant something different to a 29-year-old pregnant woman, who went into labor while in traffic at about 6:30 a.m. Emergency Medical Services personnel located the woman in a car in the eastbound Zipper lane near the Waimalu off-ramp at 6:50 a.m. and took her to Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children.

Charges filed in March 3 robbery

A 21-year-old man was charged yesterday with the March 3 robbery of the Dillingham Shell gas/convenience store, the first of a recent series of five armed robberies in Kalihi that police have said appear to be related.

Paul Dahlen, who has no permanent local address, is charged with first-degree robbery and is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail.

A police report filed today at District Court states that Dahlen used a knife in committing the robbery at 2066 Dillingham Blvd. An employee who was closing the day's receipts at 10:15 p.m. was robbed by a man wearing a bandana covering his nose and mouth and pointing a knife at her, the report said.

Dillingham Shell was robbed again on March 23 at 10:20 p.m. by a man carrying a knife.

Dahlen was arrested Wednesday night at another convenience store in Kalihi.

Death of man investigated

Police are investigating the death of a man whose body was discovered today at 7:25 a.m. on the Waikiki end of Ala Moana Park. There was no apparent signs of foul play, according to preliminary reports from the scene.

Blaze destroys building, spreads

NINOLE, Hawai'i — A fire last night destroyed an abandoned three-story wooden building at 32-964 Mamalahoa Highway and caused damage to another abandoned structure nearby. Firefighters responding to the 8:22 p.m. alarm at the old Nishimoto Store building had the fire under control at 9:30 p.m.