Police seek witness in kidnapping attempt

Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a man who allegedly tried to kidnap a woman at Windward Mall in Kaneohe on Tuesday afternoon, as well as a witness to the incident.

Police said the woman left Macy’s at 3:40 p.m. and walked through the parking lot to a bus stop when an unknown man grabbed her arm and tried to force her into a white four-door sedan.

A woman came to her aid but left before police could speak with her.

The suspect is described as between 30 and 40 years old, weighing between 190 and 200 pounds, with brown hair and a gray, unshaven beard.

Police are asking the woman or anyone with information concerning the kidnapping attempt to call police at CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellphone.

90-acre Schofield burn aims to cut fire risk

The Army plans to burn 90 acres of a Schofield Barracks live-fire range this weekend to reduce the risk of fire accidentally breaking out there in the future.

U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii officials say the prescribed burn will eliminate fire-prone vegetation.

The burn is scheduled for today but won’t go ahead unless required wind conditions, temperatures and fuel moisture conditions are met. The Army set Nov. 17 as an alternate date for the burn.

U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii said in a statement Wednesday the state Department of Health’s Clean Air Branch approved the burn plan. The Army has also notified the Hono­lulu Fire Department and the state Division of Forestry.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Maui inmate escapes during work detail

An inmate at Maui Community Correctional Center escaped Friday when he walked away from a prison work detail in Lahaina, Maui police said.

Henry "Hana" Rosenthal, 31, of Lahaina was with a group assigned to make repairs at Lahaina Civic Center. A guard noticed he was not at his work area, and the prison reported the escape at 10:30 a.m.

Rosenthal is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and 140 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has a vertical Hawaiian tribal triangle-pattern tattoo on the right side of his face, tattoos on his neck and a deformed right ear, police said.

He was last seen wearing an orange MCCC shirt, blue jeans and work boots.

Police said he is considered to be armed and dangerous and that the public should not approach him. Anyone who sees him is asked to call 911.

Craigslist scam seeks nanny on Hawaii isle

Police are warning the public about a scam involving a message posted on Craigs­list seeking nanny services on Hawaii island.

Hawaii County police said a victim answered the message and communicated with the poster by email. The victim was sent a check by mail and asked to send back some of the money via Western Union to an address in Russia.

The victim later discovered that the check was counterfeit, police said.

Police caution the public to always verify that a transaction is legitimate before sending money to someone they don’t know.