Two 13-year-old boys were arrested in Sydney, Australia, on April 30th for allegedly causing a fire in a building via self-ignition.
The fire occurred near the main shopping strip of Sydney city, at a 4-story residential building on Main Street. No one was hurt. According to police, the two teenagers lit a piece of paper and placed it on top of a rubbish bin in the stairwell of the building before fleeing the scene.
The incident caused an estimated $20,000 worth of damage, and the boys were subsequently arrested and charged with malicious damage by fire and trespassing.
Under Australian law, individuals aged 10 or older can be charged with criminal acts, however they cannot be tried in a regular court until they reach the age of 14.
It is possible that the two boys may be extradited to another state or jurisdiction if they are found guilty of the charges against them. It will then be up to the court to decide what sanction, if any, should be imposed.