A 27-year-old man was charged yesterday with theft and firearms offenses in connection with items stolen from a police officer on Wednesday.

Aliitama Ricky Ramos, of Wai'anae, is being held on $50,000 bail and will make his first court appearance tomorrow morning, said Jim Fulton, executive assistant to the prosecutor.

On Wednesday, Police Officer Taase Faumui, a six-year veteran of the force who was off duty, ran out of gas about 2:30 p.m. and parked his car near the Honouliuli sewage treatment plant while he walked to a gas station.

When he returned 30 minutes later, his car had been broken into and his police equipment, including his 9 mm pistol, had been stolen.

According to a police affidavit, Ramos was at Tracks Beach Park when police went there to ask people whether they had any information about the theft. One of the officers recognized Ramos from previous encounters, and went to speak to him near Ramos' car.

During the conversation, Ramos had the driver's door of his car open and the officer noticed a brown bag on the floor of Ramos' car with the butt of a handgun showing, according to the affidavit.

Two officers held Ramos while a third looked into the bag and discovered a 9 mm pistol registered to Faumui. Ramos and a woman who was near the car were arrested Friday, but no charges had been filed yesterday against the woman.

A 17-year-old was arrested Friday in connection with the stolen police equipment, but no information was available about the disposition of that case.

Reach Karen Blakeman at kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.