A burglar broke into a Hawai'i County police officer's home this week and stole a semi-automatic pistol and Taser electric stun gun, police reported.

The break-in occurred at the officer's home in the Waiakea Uka area of Hilo sometime between mid-morning on Sunday and mid-afternoon on Monday. An intruder stole the officer's duty belt, which held a silver metal Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol with black grips, the Taser X26 device (shown at right), an expandable silver metal baton with a black grip and a 1-ounce canister of Vexor-brand oleoresin capsicum spray, commonly known as "pepper spray."

The specific Taser model that was stolen is available only to law enforcement agencies.

Police are advising the public not to approach anyone who has these items. Anyone with information on the crime should call the police department's nonemergency number at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

All four county police departments in Hawai'i use Tasers, which incapacitate suspects with a nonlethal, 50,000-volt jolt of electricity. Some Tasers have a video camera in the handle, which activates when the device is fired. Police departments review the video.