Arson and Explosives Squad detectives have charged a third teenage boy following an incident where two cars were firebombed and a boy sustained life-threatening burns in Taylors Hill earlier this month.
Police executed a search warrant at an address in Craigiebuirn this morning.
A 15-year-old boy was arrested and has now been charged with arson.
Police will allege the teen coordinated an incident where two cars were allegedly set alight on Woolwich Street in Taylors Hill about 5.10am on Monday, 5 October.
Emergency services responded and located two vehicles engulfed in flames and a 13-year-old boy with severe burns nearby.
Police believe the boy had attempted to flee in a stolen vehicle before crashing it into bushes.
He suffered burns to over 90% of his body and was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
The 15-year-old boy was bailed to face a children's court at a later date.
Three teenagers were arrested during search warrants in the Merri-bek and Hume areas on 8 October.
A 16-year-old boy from the Merri-bek area and a 16-year-old boy from the Hume area were charged with offences including conduct endangering life, recklessly cause serious injury in circumstances of gross violence, arson and theft of motor vehicle.
A 15-year-old boy from the Hume area was released and is expected to be charged on summons.
This offending is a top priority to Victoria Police.
- Victoria Police is responding aggressively through various avenues including specialised detectives in our Arson and Explosives Squad, the VIPER Taskforce and targeted operations including Operation Eclipse and Operation Phoenix, as well as increased proactive police patrols and localised investigations.
- Police are targeting everyone involved in arson offences, from those who plan and finance them to those who carry them out.
