Search in Makaha Valley is ended

The Fire Department called off a search yesterday for a possible missing hiker above Makaha Valley.

The search began Saturday night near Nukea Street after flashing lights were seen in the area. Firefighters searched trails in the area, said Fire Department spokesman Capt. Earle Kealoha, but called off the search as darkness fell.

The Fire Department helicopter flew over the area again at about 6:23 a.m. yesterday, but the search was called off about 45 minutes later when no sign of a distressed hiker was evident, Kealoha said.

Dad and 2 sons are rescued off Kauai

Kauai firefighters rescued yesterday a 43-year-old Bend, Ore., man and his two sons, 10 and 12, who were washed out to sea at Hanakapiai Beach.

The boys were at the water's edge when a strong current swept one out at about 3 p.m., but when the other boy went in to help, he also was swept out, a Kauai news release said.

The man went in with a rescue tube and found one son, placing him in the tube as the current swept them around a bend toward a cave. He pushed the boy into the cave, then went back for the other boy, who was clinging onto some rocks.

The man brought the second boy back to the cave, and all three waited for help, holding onto rocks.

Firefighters reached them by swimming from an inflatable boat. The family members, who had only a few scratches, were released onshore.

Robbers target cabdriver, customer

Police are investigating the robbery of a cabdriver and her 24-year-old customer yesterday in Kakaako.

Four men in a Mitsubishi sedan drove up beside the cab at Pohukaina and Cooke streets at about 2:50 a.m., preventing it from driving off, police said.

A man in his 20s approached the woman as she got into the front seat and wedged himself in the door to keep it open, while a second man in his 20s tapped on the driver's side window and told the 20-year-old driver to roll it down.

When the driver refused, the first suspect took the car keys from the ignition and threw them into a park.

He demanded the women's money and threatened to shoot them if they did not comply, police said. It was not clear whether he carried a weapon, police said.

When the women said they did not have any money, the first suspect took their cell phones and the passenger's purse, and the men fled.

Police opened a first-degree robbery case.

Safe taken from check-cashing shop

Police are looking for suspects who stole a safe containing more than $1,900 in cash and money orders from a check-cashing business near the airport.

The suspects pried open the shop's front door at about 6:40 a.m. Saturday and headed straight to the safe in the back, passing other property along the way, police said.

An alarm was tripped, but when officers arrived the suspects had already left.

Boys admit burglary to homeowner

Two teenage boys confronted by a 28-year-old Waipahu woman admitted to burglarizing her house, police said.

The boys, 14 and 15, were arrested Friday for investigation of first-degree burglary. Police said the woman arrived home Thursday to find her house burglarized.

On Friday she received information that the two teenagers were responsible, so she confronted them, police said. The boys admitted to the crime and returned the stolen property, police said.