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Students invited to enter
‘Olelo’s video contest

The deadline to submit entries to 'Olelo Community Television's annual Youth Xchange, an educational video contest for students, is Dec. 31.

Youth Xchange gives Hawaii students in kindergarten through college a chance to focus on issues they think are critical and raise awareness through the creative use of video.

Students may enter in seven different video categories: public service announcement, news, mini-documentary, animation, music video, short, or narrative.

Entries will be judged by level: elementary (kindergarten-sixth grade), middle (seventh and eighth grades), high (ninth through 12th grades), and experts (a separate judging category introduced this year that is open to elementary through college students with advanced skills).

Prizes will be awarded to the winners' schools. For rules and entry information, visit 'Olelo's Web site at www.olelo.org or call 'Olelo at 834-0007.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

HONOLULU

2 women sought in purse-snatching

Police want help identifying two female suspects whose images were recorded by a surveillance video camera as they allegedly stole an item from a woman's car at a service station.

The video shows the victim vacuuming her car at a station at 2105 S. King St. on Nov. 9 about 8 p.m. A truck pulled up and a woman got out and asked the victim for change to use the vacuum. The video shows that while the driver was distracting the victim, the female passenger from the truck got out, reached through the victim's open passenger window and grabbed her purse from the dashboard.

The purse snatcher is described as in her late 20s, 5 feet 8 inches, about 160 pounds, with long dirty-blond hair and a tan complexion. She was last seen wearing a black tank top and denim shorts.

The suspect driver is described as also in her late 20s, with a heavy build, short brown hair, brown eyes and a brown complexion. She was seen driving a black Chevy truck, with a hunting-dog cage in the bed and the word "CHEVROLET" painted in bright red across the tailgate.

Anyone with information may contact Detective Dee Ann Koanui at 529-3446 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or by dialing *CRIME on a cellular phone.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Homeless man faces tire-slashing charges

Kona police have charged a 35-year-old homeless man with second-degree property damage after he allegedly slashed at least 40 tires in the Kailua Village area.

The suspect was identified as Adonis Oandasan. He is currently being held in lieu of $2,000 bail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing tomorrow in Kona District Court.

Oandasan was arrested Dec. 13 after he allegedly slashed the tires of at least 24 cars, causing an estimated $3,188 in damage, police said. The vehicles with damaged tires were parked in at least five different areas, including the Lanihau and Kona Coast Shopping Centers. Police were still receiving reports of slashed tires as late as Thursday.

Auto body repair scam targeting the elderly

Big Island police are warning residents to be wary of an apparent auto body repair scam.

Police said they have received reports that two men have approached elderly drivers and offered to repair dents and rust spots for cash. The victims report that the suspects begin the work, then ask for payment before it's completed. The suspects then take the money and leave without completing the repairs, police said.

Help sought in finding missing Hilo teen girl

Big Island police are asking for the public's help in locating a 13-year-old girl who was reported missing from her Hilo home nearly a year ago.

Ericka Rapoza is described as being about 4-foot-5 and weighing about 100 pounds. She has a slim build, straight hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen Jan. 13.

Anyone with information about Rapoza is asked to call Peter Kualii of the East Hawaii Juvenile Aid Section at 961-2373 or the police nonemergency number at 935-3311.

WAIKIKI

Serviceman accused of sexual assault

A 31-year-old man allegedly sexually assaulted a 36-year-old woman at his apartment on an undisclosed military base, police said. The incident happened just after midnight yesterday after the two met at a Waikiki dance club. The woman went home with the man, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her, police said. Military police investigators have taken the case because the man is a member of the military.

Man held in alleged theft of car cell phone

An 18-year-old man was arrested early yesterday for allegedly smashing a car's rear window to steal a cell phone.

The incident happened about 4:45 a.m. in the Honolulu Zoo parking lot. The man was arrested while standing with a group of people in the lot, police said.