2 charged in robbery and dragging

Two men have been charged with robbery and assault in connection with an incident in Waikiki on Aug. 3 in which a man was dragged as he tried to wrest his backpack away from robbers.

Police said the victim and his friend had caught a ride with two men in a pickup truck. They were dropped off in Waikiki. But when the victim, 23, went to shake the driver’s hand, the driver grabbed his backpack, police said.

The driver sped off, dragging the man, who held onto his backpack, police said. The truck traveled for half a mile with the man hanging on, police said. The man managed to free himself. He had cuts all over his body.

Police arrested Anthony W. Santiago, 26, and Kaulana J. Akau, 27, both of Ewa Beach. Both were charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree assault. Santiago was being held at Oahu Community Correctional Center on $30,000 bail pending a preliminary hearing today. Akau posted $30,000 bail and will make his first appearance in District Court tomorrow.

Police seek Waipahu stabbing suspect

Police were looking for a 47-year-old man who allegedly stabbed a 23-year-old man Monday following an argument in Waipahu.

The suspect and victim argued over a business matter when the older man stabbed the younger man in the abdomen at about 4:30 p.m., police said.

The victim initially declined to prosecute but changed his mind after being treated at a hospital, police said.

Tips ID Big Island shoplift suspects

Tips to CrimeStoppers helped Big Island police identify two shoplifting suspects, one of whom was arrested and charged Sunday.

Chantelle Noelani Kalani was charged with shoplifting and with two outstanding bench warrants for failure to appear in court. Her bail was set at $1,350. She was being held at the Hilo police cellblock. Police were continuing to look for a 35-year-old woman from Pahoa.

Police say two women shoplifted items at a surf shop in Pahoa on July 23. Pictures of the shoplifters taken by a security camera were released through CrimeStoppers last week.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Heavy coin machine fails to stop thieves

Thieves on Kauai did some heavy lifting Sunday when they took a 400-pound coin dispensing machine containing about $2,600 from a Lihue laundromat.

Kauai police believe several people probably were involved because of the weight of the money changing machine. The theft happened between noon Sunday and 3:15 a.m. Monday at Lihue Laundromat on Rice Street.

Thieves apparently broke into the storage room of the laundromat and pried off the braces that held the coin dispenser to the wall. The owner of the laundromat also owns the Eleele Laundromat, which was burglarized twice in April, police said.

Correction: Police were seeking a 47-year-old suspect in the stabbing of a 23-year-old man in Waipahu. An earlier version of this story posted Wednesday mixed up the ages of the suspect and the victim.