Police have arrested a teenage boy and three men believed to be responsible for many of the 78 home burglaries reported in Mililani since the beginning of the year.

The latest rash of burglaries is seen by authorities as the largest in Mililani since the community endured more than 85 break-ins in a six-week period in late 2005.

Police estimate losses from this year's string of Mililani burglaries at more than $100,000.

"We're hopeful the arrests will curb (the burglaries)," said Detective Laura Natividad of the Wahiawa Police District's burglary/theft detail.

Police believe the boy was operating separately from the group of three men, Natividad said.

Unlike the 2005 burglaries, which affected houses on 50 streets in the Mililani area, the current series has been largely concentrated in the Mililani Town area.

Sixty-four of the 78 burglaries since January have occurred at the same time of day, Natividad said.

Police made the latest arrest Tuesday when the 17-year-old boy was caught following a foot chase by patrol officers. A neighbor reported seeing a suspicious person enter a house.

Police had arrested him several times in 2006 for break-ins in Mililani. Since Family Court criminal records are confidential, his conviction record is not known.

"We believe the kid is responsible for one-quarter of them by himself," based on the nature of the burglaries and fingerprint evidence, Natividad said.

Last month, police arrested and charged Jacob Hoopai Jr., 24, of Makiki; John Fernandez, 29; and Troy Arthur Connell, 31.

Hoopai was charged Feb. 22 with auto theft, first-degree burglary, two drug counts, possession of a dangerous weapon, unauthorized possession of confidential information and possession of burglary tools. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Fernandez, charged with similar offenses, is also in custody awaiting trial. Connell reportedly is free on bail on two burglary charges.

The adult suspects allegedly specialized in "burglary on demand," and their favorite targets were cul-de-sac homes, Natividad said.

"They were looking for specific order items, such as plasma TVs or certain types of computers," she said. "With the computers, they're looking at identity theft from stored information. They use a vehicle, one guy breaks in, vehicle backs up, they load it and are gone."

Police said the juvenile suspect is believed to prefer corner houses, especially those obscured by fences or hedges, and homes with jalousie window slats, Natividad said.

Police said residents who report suspicious activity are a major deterrent since most burglaries in communities such as Mililani occur during the day.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.