Investigators suspect a string of recent arson incidents may be related via youths on social media.
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Police investigating a fire that completely destroyed a vacant volunteer fire brigade building in Espoo last week suspect the blaze was started by youngsters.
Thursday’s fire was one of several suspected incidents of arson around the city in recent months.
According to lead investigator Klaus Geiger, police have already interviewed two 12-year-old suspects and plan to talk to three or four other young people suspected of involvement. He said that investigators are largely aware of the course of events in the case.
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“School-aged youths are suspected of aggravated arson. They aren’t criminally liable, but of course they are liable to pay compensation. The two who were interviewed are around 12 years old,” Geiger explained.
He added that the two youths have partially admitted to being at the scene of the crime. However police noted that their work investigating the case and questioning of suspects is still in progress.
“There are so many young people [possibly involved], and their consultation requires special procedures. When it’s a question of people well under the age of 15, the process is time-consuming and delicate,” Geiger said, referring to Finland’s age of criminal responsibility.
Social media link possible
The city has seen an unusually large number of suspected arson incidents occurring at vacant buildings in recent months. Police suspect that such fires had particularly occurred in the areas of Espoo center and the nearby Tuomarila district.
On Monday, police announced that two 15-year-olds admitted to setting fire to the Laurinlahti school in the city’s Espoonlahti district last week. However police do not suspect the youths of involvement in other recent arson cases.
“They are a separate pair [of kids]. It’s possible that the other suspects [in arson incidents] know each other via social media, are the same ages and possibly attend the same schools,” Geiger explained.
