They're sights more than 700 Oahu residents arrived home to in February. The methods were burglars' most common ways of entry. Homes most hit were in East Honolulu, Kaneohe/Kailua and Waianae/Kapolei.

Police are hoping that tide will change with the recent arrest of two men accused of breaking into more than 200 homes in the past year. William Vadovich, 40, and John Keoni Murray, 38, were arrested last month and face numerous burglary charges involving break-ins from Hawaii Kai to Kailua/Kaneohe.

Vadovich told police he stole property to support his drug habit.

Police in three districts said they are seeing a reduction in burglaries where the two suspects allegedly had been operating.

"Hopefully, islandwide (numbers) will show a reduction," said acting Lt. Gary Kawasaki, head of the theft/burglary detail in East Honolulu, where both suspects were apprehended.

Property crimes accounted for 95 percent of all crimes reported in Honolulu last year. Burglaries accounted for 16 percent of all property crimes.

"When you think about it, how many people do you actually know have been robbed or murdered?" said burglary detective Glen Muramoto recently. "Then, how many people do you know have been burglarized?"

Chances are the home of a family member or friend has at one time or another been broken into, maybe once or more than once, he said.

Gone are their sense of security and treasured possessions -- perhaps a gift from a loved one now deceased.

One Hawaii Kai resident declined to give her name or reveal where she lives because she feels her family has been victimized already. "I feel invaded," she said.

On Feb. 12, she left her year-old son in the care of her 70-year-old mother-in-law. The elderly woman took the baby to the store, and when they returned less than an hour later, a wrenched door lock was what greeted them.

Inside, the bedrooms were ransacked. Taken were numerous pieces of jewelry, a watch -- the woman's gift to her husband on their wedding day -- cash, a plane ticket and cellular phone.

All they managed to recover was the watch and ring, the resident said.

But the monetary loss was nothing compared to what could have happened had they been home when the burglar entered.

"Thank God something made my mom-in-law go to the store," she said. "I'm more afraid of what would've happened to my son and mom-in-law."

The family has since taken several measures to better secure their home, including installing deadbolt locks on all their doors. They did it not simply to protect their property, she said, "but to protect us."

"It felt like I was raped," said one man who stood in line March 15 at the Honolulu Police Department, waiting for his turn to view stolen items recovered at an Aina Haina home.

Nearly 1,500 residents -- from Kaneohe to Hawaii Kai -- attended the showing, on the slim chance they might find something, anything that might belong to them. Only 64 were able to identify their property -- mostly jewelry, Kawasaki said.

Vadovich, who told police he is a heroin addict, is cooperating in the investigation against him. He provided the information that led police to an Aina Haina home where he allegedly sold the items in exchange for drugs.

"I'm just glad he's caught," the Hawaii Kai resident said, referring to Vadovich.

"Even if we don't recover everything, as long as he's caught."

Some advice from police to residents who keep expensive, sentimental or valuable items in your home: Mark them.

Use an engraver to mark your Social Security number or some symbol so you can identify it as yours. Better yet, also take a photo of all valuable items and store those photos in another safe place, such as a bank safe deposit box.

Police can't guarantee your possessions won't be stolen. But they will have an easier job tracking your property, and in some cases, they can get it back to you faster if it is marked. It also makes it harder for thieves to pawn the items, said acting Lt. Gary Kawasaki of the East Honolulu burglary detail.

Most pawnshop brokers will hesitate to take any items that are clearly marked or whose serial numbers or markings have been tampered or scratched over. Most times, it means the item may have been stolen.

Police have engravers available to lend to residents. Officers also will come out to inspect your home and suggest ways to secure it better. Call officer Gary LaHens at the Information Resources Section at 529-3351 for more information.