Juveniles Pegged For School Arson
IRVINE – Following several suspicious fires reportedly set at College Park Elementary school over the weekend, five juveniles were arrested for arson, according to police.All of the suspects are 13 and 14-year-old residents of Irvine and officials are not releasing their names due to their ages.
The juveniles are believed to have started the first fire on the night of Aug. 23 by igniting a stack of cardboard. The ensuing blaze charred the school’s kindergarten building.
A person walking by the school the following morning noticed the burned debris of the previous night’s fire, said police.
The young teens then returned to the school Sunday afternoon around 4pm. Another resident in the neighborhood alerted police, reporting that the group of alleged teen arsonists possessed “flaming objects” on the playground.
According to police, when they arrived, they found the juveniles in the vicinity of a small fire which was believed to have been started using an aerosol can.
After some questioning, the juveniles confessed to starting the Saturday night cardboard fire as well, said police. The young teens were soon after released to their parents.
