Two Palolo Valley men arrested last week by police are suspects in a recent series of robberies near the University of Hawai'i-Manoa campus.

Cameron L. Hilongo, 18, and Christian Marumoto, 19, were arrested last week along with a 21-year-old woman. The woman was later released pending further investigation. All three live at 2109 Ahe St.

Hilongo appeared at a preliminary hearing today in District Court on first-degree robbery and kidnapping charges stemming from the Oct. 13 knife-point robbery of a private security guard near the UH campus. He was being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Authorities have petitioned Family Court to waive jurisdiction over Hilongo, who is a suspect in four other robberies allegedly committed before he turned 18,

The earlier robberies involved a male bicyclist and stolen credit cards near Kanewai Park on Sept. 9; a man robbed of over $200 on Dole Street Sept. 10 by a man who gestured that he had a gun; the attempted robbery of a man on O'ahu Avenue on Sept. 15; and the robbery of two men later the same night at Kanewai Park, where an "Uzi-like" gun was displayed.

Police said the security guard, 25, said he was grabbed from behind while making his rounds at 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 13 near the campus. The suspect allegedly choked him and threatened him with a knife. The man was held against his will for about 20 minutes and robbed of personal items not disclosed by police.

Marumoto's preliminary hearing is tomorrow in District Court.

He is accused of robbery, fraudulent use of credit cards and unauthorized possession of confidential personal information. His bail was set at $75,000.

Marumoto allegedly got out of a vehicle, grabbed and struck a woman on Dole Street on Oct. 5, taking her purse.

Police robbery investigators did not disclose how the two men were identified as suspects.