Police and fire officials investigated an early morning blaze yesterday at a $1.2-million Pacific Heights house, burglarized twice over the weekend.

No one was injured.

Concerned neighbors vowed to be more circumspect as a result of the incident.

“;It's not just a burglary,”; said next-door neighbor Dickson Lee, who tried to douse the flames with a garden hose. “;It's someone trying to burn your house down.”;

Police had no suspects yesterday in the first-degree arson and first-degree burglary case.

The 2,200-square-foot house at 2740 Pacific Heights Road, which sold for $1.189 million in 2007, was burglarized at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, and the spare keys to the house were stolen.

That prompted the 59-year-old woman who owns the house to stay elsewhere Saturday night, police said.

  Arson possibly set to cover burglary

 

Honolulu Police are investigating an arson case that they believe was set to cover up a burglary that happened around 1 a.m. Saturday.

[ Watch ]

 

At 3:29 a.m. yesterday, a fire broke out at the house, prompting Lee to run next door—clad only in his underwear—to warn his neighbor.

“;My main concern was she was OK,”; he said.

He rang the front door bell and realized the woman probably wasn't home because her car wasn't in the garage.

As Lee turned a garden hose on the flames, his wife called the fire department.

The resident later found more items missing, police said.

Fire Capt. Robert Main said burglars sometimes set fires to cover up clues.

“;This hill is fraught with burglaries,”; said Lee, a 63-year-old lawyer. “;We've been hit four times in the last 30 years.”;

Firefighters brought the fire under control within three minutes of their arrival, said Main.

The fire was confined to a rear middle bedroom and the adjacent kitchen, but the smoke damage was extensive throughout the main upper level of the house, he said.

Fire investigators determined the fire, which caused $50,000 to the structure and $5,000 to its contents, had been intentionally set.

Meanwhile, neighbors gathered yesterday along Pacific Heights Road near the crime scene. They exchanged phone numbers and promised to keep an eye on one another's homes.

Neighbor Tana Cabaniero said she saw a suspicious car one night a few months ago driving slowly up the two-lane road and sent her husband outside, but he couldn't find it.

“;I'm worried because I have kids,”; she said. “;We have to stick together. We're looking out for each other. ... Hopefully, this won't happen again.”;