Police on the scent of puppynappers

Police are investigating the puppynapping of a 12-week-old Tibetan spaniel early yesterday afternoon at Pet's Central just off Sand Island Access Road.

A cream-and-white, 6-pound, 1-ounce male puppy valued at $1,699 was taken from his playpen about 1 p.m. yesterday.

“;He was the most loving, affectionate, just really sweet and perfect (puppy),”; said store manager Kelly Lee. “;These literally are our children.”;

Although no one actually witnessed it, customers saw two women in their 20s who they suspect might have stolen the puppy.

Lee said one woman might have been distracting the store employee while the other grabbed the fluffy puppy, which was alone in the playpen.

Lee said police are interviewing a letter carrier who saw a possible getaway car, a white Honda, which could have been used by the dognappers.

The postal worker saw a man sitting in the driver's seat with the passenger door wide open and thought it suspicious, so he wrote down the license plate number.

Last year, another pup was taken from the Kapiolani Pet's Discount Warehouse store, a sister company of Pet's Central. In that case, the puppy was returned.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pet's Central at 848-1688. Should the dog be returned to the store at 2333 Alahao Place, no questions will be asked.

Marine found dead in barracks identified

The military says the Marine who died in his barracks room at Marine Corps Base Hawaii was Lance Cpl. Marc L. Plotts of Fredericksburg, Va.

The base public affairs office said yesterday the 20-year-old enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2007. He was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

He was pronounced dead at the scene after military police responded to a 911 call early Tuesday morning.

Police gave the Marine cardiopulmonary resuscitation but were not able to revive him.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is probing the circumstances of Plotts' death.

12 are indicted on drug charges

A federal indictment alleges 12 people conspired to distribute heroin in Hawaii.

The indictment was unsealed Tuesday when nine of the defendants appeared in U.S. District Court in Honolulu.

Prosecutors allege Albert Fernandez Jr. and Arthur Miniear were the principal distributors of the alleged heroin ring.

The indictment identifies seven alleged sub-distributors and a woman who allegedly stored and kept track of money from heroin sales.

Prosecutors say investigators seized 3 pounds of black tar heroin and more than $75,000 in cash when they disrupted a heroin deal in the McCully-Moiliili area in early December.

A heroin conspiracy conviction is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Maui wildlife refuge getting visitor center

The federal government is spending $4.9 million in economic stimulus funds to create a visitors center at Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on Maui.

The Interior Department said yesterday that the project will employ 20 full-time workers, though as many as 35 workers may be on site at a time.

The visitors center will have an exhibit hall, reception area and bookstore. It will allow refuge workers to educate and interact with visitors.

The refuge currently only has a small trailer.

Kealia Pond is one of the few natural wetlands left in Hawaii.

It's between the towns of Kihei and Maalaea and is home to the endangered Hawaiian stilt and Hawaiian coot. Nearby Kealia Beach is a nesting ground for the endangered hawksbill turtle.