Police hunt mall thief posing as MP

Police are seeking information on a man in his 20s who is wanted for numerous thefts at Pearlridge Center during the last two weeks by posing as a military law enforcement officer.

Police said that on July 23 the suspect approached two teenagers and told them he was working undercover for the military and showed them what appeared to be a military identification card.

He told the two teenage males that they were suspects in a mugging and asked them to follow him to the parking structure near Macy’s. There he told them to give him their property for evidence and said he was going to his office.

Last Wednesday the same suspect, wearing military fatigues, approached two men and told them they were suspects in a theft case.

There were five incidents involving the suspect on Saturday and Sunday.

The suspect is described to be 5 feet 8 inches tall, 180 pounds, with a tattoo on the left side of his neck. He wore a uniform with the name tag "Vierra."

Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or "CRIME" on a cell phone.

Suspect nabbed in Kailua burglaries

Police arrested a 21-year-old man suspected of burglarizing two Kailua homes early yesterday morning.

A woman, 54, said she found an unknown man in her residence just past midnight. When she confronted the man, he fled. He left behind a damaged lock to the rear sliding door of the house.

At about 2:30 a.m. a man, 61, reported to police a burglary at his house involving an unknown male.

Police responding to the call searched the area and located the suspect in a nearby vacant lot on Akipola Street next to property taken from the second home.

The suspect, with no permanent address, was identified by the woman as the person who entered her house. He was arrested on two counts of first-degree burglary and one count of promoting a detrimental drug.

Trial is Oct. 8 for defendant in hit-and-run

WAILUKU » A Maui man accused in a fatal hit-and-run is to stand trial Oct. 18.

Steven C. Wright, 56, of Kihei is accused of driving a car that struck 46-year-old Robert Clay as he was riding his bicycle home in Kihei on Sept. 5.

Wright has pleaded not guilty to second-degree negligent homicide and leaving the scene of a crash involving death.

Wright is free on $50,000 bail. But he must not consume alcohol or illegal drugs, and he is barred from entering any bar, tavern or liquor store.

Defense attorney David Sereno asked Circuit Judge Shackley Raffetto to drop the second restriction, because Wright plays music in bars. Raffetto ruled the restriction will remain in place.