A 40-year-old Punchbowl man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of impersonating a police officer and robbery.

A 39-year-old man and 17-year-old boy told police they were approached about 8 p.m. by a stranger on Prospect Street who pulled out a badge and tried to make them hand over their belongings.

In the first instance, the police impersonator ordered the man to drop a bag he was carrying, but the man realized the badge was phony and refused to comply, police said.

The bogus officer then threw a punch at the man, but he was able to deflect it, and the assailant walked away.

In the other instance, the boy was standing outside talking on his cellular telephone when the man with the badge approached and ordered the boy to hand over the telephone.

When the boy refused, the man took out a gun and pointed it at the boy and grabbed the telephone from him.

Officers arrived minutes later and found the suspected police impersonator nearby as well as the gun he apparently had used. He was identified by the man and the boy, police said.

Two arrested in vehicle break-ins

A man and a woman were caught just before 10 a.m. yesterday breaking into cars in the parking garage attached to the state Circuit Court building on Punchbowl Street, police said.

A car owner was returning to the parking garage when he saw a stranger stepping out of his car, holding the car's stereo. The man was detained and police arrived to find a woman sitting in a car with its engine running next to the one that had been broken into.

The parking attendant told police he saw the woman in the driver's seat of the car, which police found was stolen.

While police were arresting the man on suspicion of car theft and breaking into the car in the parking garage, they learned that a second car had been broken into. Items taken from the second car were found in the stolen car where the woman had been sitting, and she was then arrested on suspicion of possessing stolen goods.

Suspect charged in two burglaries

Frederick Petty

In the most recent incident, on Friday, a Wai'alae Iki homeowner awoke at 2:40 a.m. and saw a stranger examining his dresser's contents.

The homeowner shouted at the stranger, who ran from the home and drove off in an older-model red car. Patrol officers responding to the call spotted the car and arrested Petty.

He also was charged in connection with the Sept. 13 burglary of a Hawai'i Kai home. In that case, a man woke up to see a man wearing a ski mask in his bedroom. When he got up, he noticed his wife's purse was missing, and he heard a car driving away.

One of the wife's credit cards was used at 2:22 a.m. at a convenience store a few blocks away. The store surveillance camera captured an image of the suspected burglar at the counter.

Two charged in Kane'ohe theft

Michelle Kahoopii

Ralph Riveira

A neighbor of the victim noticed a black Ford Windstar van parked about 10:30 a.m. next to the home on Ohaha Street.

There appeared to be a woman in the driver's seat, a small child in the passenger seat and a man in the back seat.

The victim returned home after work and found the house unlocked, the rooms in disarray and numerous items taken. A purse belonging to a family member was found that same evening near the Hawai'i Convention Center.

The investigation led officers to the Waikiki area, where the black van was found. The suspects were found shortly afterweard in a Waikiki hotel room. A search warrant was obtained, and numerous items belonging to the victim were found.

Police then arrested and charged Michelle Kahoopii, 28, and Ralph Riveira, 26, in connection with the case.

Runaway teen may face charge

A 17-year-old girl was arrested yesterday after police caught her driving a stolen car in 'Aiea Heights about 4 p.m. yesterday.

A patrol officer saw the girl commit a traffic violation, and a computer check showed the car she was driving had been reported as stolen.

The girl tried to speed away when the officer tried to pull her over, then stopped, got out of the car and ran.