Teen firefighter charged over fires
A teenaged firefighter has been charged with lighting two fires and making false 000 calls before allegedly attending as an emergency responder.
Arson Squad detectives attached to Strike Force Vulcan have charged an 18-year-old Armadale man in relation to two fires and multiple false 000 calls between September and December 2014.
Police will allege the accused, who is a volunteer fire fighter, made seven 000 calls in relation to fires in the Bedfordale area.
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"It will be further alleged those calls were false, and that the accused then responded to those false emergency calls as an emergency responder," a police spokesman said.
"It will be further alleged on Sunday 21 December 2014 and Wednesday 24 December 2014 the accused lit fires on Canning Dam Road, Bedfordale, and that he then responded to those fires as an emergency responder."
The 18-year-old man from Armadale was arrested yesterday and has since been charged with seven counts of Creating False Belief and two counts of Wilfully Light or Cause to be Lit a Fire Likely to Injure or Damage.
He was refused bail and is due to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court today.
Rewards of up to $50,000 are available for information that leads to the identification and conviction of an arsonist.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
