Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said the fire broke out just before 4 a.m. and caused the building's alarm system to sound. Tejada said several of the building's occupants "self-evacuated" but all of them had returned to their units by about 4:45 a.m.

The garage is equipped with a sprinkler system, which contributed to keeping the fire in check, Tejada said. He said investigators believe one of the cars caught fire accidentally and that the blaze spread to the other cars.

A preliminary damage estimate to the cars was set at $43,000.

Photo stolen out of police car

A 41-year-old Waikiki man was arrested this morning after he allegedly grabbed a Polaroid photograph off the seat of a police car and refused to return it.

The police officer said she was preparing to write a traffic ticket about 3:15 a.m. for a car parked illegally near the intersection of Nahua Street and Kuhio Avenue when a man approached and said it was his car.

The officer said she told the man to move the car or she would write out a parking citation. She said she went back to her blue and white squad car and was sitting in the driver's seat with a Polaroid camera next to her and a photograph protruding from the camera.

She said the man she had spoken with moments earlier reached into the squad car, took the photo, shoved her aside and ran away.

The man was stopped about a block away as other officers arrived and he was arrested, following a brief struggle, for suspicion of second-degree robbery.

Ex-girlfriend tries to run boyfriend down

A 42-year-woman was arrested yesterday in the Campbell Industrial Park after having a "run-in" with her former boyfriend.

The 35-year-old man told police he recently broke up with the woman, who showed up near his workplace about 3 p.m. and rammed his car several times. The ex-boyfriend said he got out of his car and tried to run away, at which point the woman tried to run him down.

Police arrived at the scene and arrested the woman for suspicion of first-degree criminal property damage.

Forged check leads to arrest for multiple offenses

A 29-year-old man was arrested last night for suspicion of several felony offenses after he allegedly tried to use a forged check to pay for his room at the Ala Moana Hotel.

Police went to the hotel about 10:30 p.m. after hotel workers determined the check had been forged. Patrol officers went to the man's room and reported finding brass knuckles.

While the suspect was being processed at the Central Receiving Division at the main police station, a glass pipe with white residue was found in his pocket, police said.

He was arrested for suspicion of second-degree forgery, third-degree identity theft, possession of a prohibited weapon, detaining stolen property, third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Man arrested after hopping into car

A 31-year-old man, who police said appeared to be intoxicated, was arrested yesterday after he got into a car on Alexander Street in Makiki and refused to leave.

A 44-year-old woman told police she was loading up her car to go to work when the man got in. Police said the woman called for assistance and that while waiting for officers to arrive, the man rummaged through the car, found her jacket and put it on.

Police said the suspect was still wearing the jacket when they arrived. The man, who they described as combative, was arrested for suspicion of unlawful entry into a motor vehicle and disorderly conduct.

Family friend arrested for sexual assault

A 25-year-old man was arrested yesterday after a 15-year-old girl told police a family friend sexually assaulted her Sept. 23 at her home in Kalaeloa.

Police said investigators contacted the suspect, interviewed him and then arrested him for suspicion of first- and third-degree sexual assault.

Suspect arrested in sexual-assault case

A 40-year-old Honolulu man was arrested yesterday for suspicion of second-degree sexual assault in connection with an Oct. 13 incident. A 19-year-old woman said she met the man and was at his home from about 3-6 p.m., where she was sexually assaulted.

The woman told police she left the scene and reported the attack some time later.

Police said the woman positively identified the suspect yesterday and he was arrested.

Suspect arrested in burglary case

Police arrested a 19-year-old man yesterday as a suspect in the burglary this summer of a home in Hawaii Kai.

Police said the owner, 60, reported his home was broken into between July 28 and Aug. 8 and that various items were taken.