Mom arrested for burns on 2 kids

Police arrested a 28-year-old Kalihi woman Thursday who allegedly punished her two young children by burning them with an iron sometime before Wednesday.

Police said a teacher at Kuhio Park Terrace noticed burn marks on two siblings—a girl, 6, and her brother, 4—while at their school. School officials and police interviewed the children, who independently told them their mother had burned them with an iron for not going to sleep.

The mother arrived at the school, and police arrested her on suspicion of two counts of second-degree assault.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Boy in bike crash is critically hurt

HANAMAULU, Kauai » A 17-year-old boy remained in critical condition yesterday after a motorcycle accident Thursday, according to a county news release.

The Hanamaulu resident was riding a Yamaha dirt bike on Hanamaulu Road near the Ohia Road junction Thursday afternoon when he lost control and struck a hollow-tile wall, a county spokeswoman said.

He was airlifted to the Queen's Medical Center on Thursday afternoon. He was not wearing a helmet, and speed appears to be a factor in this crash, police said.

$10,000 stolen from college safe

PUHI, Kauai » Kauai police are investigating the theft of at least $10,000 from the safe at the Kauai Community College bookstore.

Thieves broke in Jan. 5, during registration, and stole the nearly 500-pound safe, according to Kauai Police Department Assistant Chief Roy Asher.

The next day, police found the safe, pried open, in a field on the side of a lightly traveled road, Asher added.

Cash and other items were removed, but bags of change were still in the safe when a resident found it in his pasture, Asher said.

Police ask that anyone with information call CrimeStoppers at 241-1711.

Man wanted in car break-ins

Big Island police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man suspected of several car break-ins on Kukila Street in Hilo.

The thefts took place between 8 p.m. Dec. 18 and 6 a.m. Dec. 19.

Anyone who recognizes the person or has information on this case is asked to call Detective John Rodrigues at 961-2382 or call the nonemergency police number at 935-3311. Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 (Hilo) or 329-8181 (Kona).