5 arrested in alleged check-kiting ring
Police say they have uncovered a check-kiting ring involving at least six people who stole from at least 15 victims.
Five people have been arrested so far, including Patrick C. Loparo, 24, who a police source said is the ringleader of the group.
Loparo was arrested Friday and charged over the weekend on second-degree theft and warrant charges. Other counts may be pending against Loparo, who is of no local address. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
Loparo was arrested at the Navy Federal Credit Union on Radford Drive at about noon Friday. Police said he used a group of people to open accounts and deposit checks into the accounts, and then withdraw the funds before the checks were found to be non-negotiable.
Two men and a woman believed to be part of the ring were arrested when they tried to cash a check on a restricted account at the same financial institution last week. Information about the fifth arrest wasn’t available Monday.
Other arrests may be forthcoming, police said.
Fire at Mililani High field is deemed arson
Honolulu police have opened an arson investigation in connection with a small fire near the running track of the Mililani High School athletic field Sunday night.
An investigation by fire investigators determined the fire was intentionally set, and the case was turned over to police, said Capt. Terry Seelig, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman.
Construction materials and a box with contractor tools in it were burning when firefighters arrived at the scene at about 7:30 p.m., Seelig said. Damage was put at about $1,500. A concession stand and an all-terrain vehicle nearby were not damaged.
