Two juveniles are being sought after a parked vehicle was intentionally set on fire Tuesday afternoon in a Kāneʻohe shopping-center parking lot. A 21-year-old man told police he saw the pair pour an accelerant onto the vehicle before fleeing on foot. The fire turned a routine parking-lot scene into an arson investigation within minutes.
Police describe two suspects seen near the vehicle
According to a Honolulu Police Department notice, District 4 officers opened an Arson in the First Degree investigation after the vehicle caught fire shortly after the suspects left the parking lot along Kamehameha Highway.
HPD described the suspects as two Filipino male juveniles, approximately 13 to 14 years old. One was reportedly wearing a black shirt, while the other wore a red shirt bearing the words “Hawaii’s Finest.”
HPD asks witnesses to call with information
The police notice did not announce any arrests or filed charges, and investigators did not release the name of the vehicle’s owner or an estimate of the damage. Because the suspects are minors, additional identifying information may be limited as the investigation develops.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or recognizes the juveniles is asked to call 911 or CrimeStoppers Honolulu at (808) 955-8300, HPD said. Police are asking residents and businesses in the area to preserve any relevant surveillance footage from Tuesday afternoon.
What an Arson in the First Degree investigation means
Under Hawaii Revised Statutes, first-degree arson generally involves intentionally or knowingly setting fire to property while placing someone in danger of death or bodily injury, or causing more than $20,000 in damage to another person’s property. The statute classifies the offense as a Class A felony, though HPD’s investigation label does not by itself mean charges have been filed.
