Waianae man faces charges of dognapping
Court documents say police heard the man admit on the phone that he stole a dog
A man accused of holding a dog for ransom will make his first court appearance on Monday.
On Wednesday, 42-year-old Arnel John Vicente was charged with two counts of first-degree burglary and unauthorized entry into a dwelling.
On Sunday, a 65-year-old woman who lives with Vicente's estranged wife reported a burglary at their home on Farrington Highway in Nanakuli. The woman said her pregnant pinscher Precious, valued at $1,000, was taken from her home at about 4:45 p.m. that day.
About 6 p.m., a police officer was at the apartment taking the burglary complaint when Vicente called his estranged wife's cellular phone.
The wife put the call on speaker phone, and Vicente allegedly talked about how he scaled the fence on the side of the home, entered through the back and took Precious.
"He demanded $100 or stated that he would 'kill the (expletive) dog,'" court documents stated.
The women said Vicente was staying at a home on Hakimo Road, but police checks turned up nothing that day.
On Monday, the officer was driving toward the home on Hakimo Road when he saw a vehicle with Vicente inside it, and a dog on his lap.
Vicente was identified and was booked on suspicion of two counts of first-degree burglary and extortion.
Vicente's wife has a restraining order against him that is valid until 2009. She said Vicente entered her home twice last month before taking the dog. He was also booked for allegedly violating the restraining order.
He has 10 prior criminal convictions. Prosecutors are considering adding an extortion charge to the case.