Hillsboro Police: Three Fires Lead Officers to Five Juveniles Early Friday

HILLSBORO, OR – Officers from the Hillsboro Police Department spent nearly five hours chasing fire Friday morning.

According to HPD spokesman Lt. Henry Reimann, officers first responded to an open field fire at 3080 S.E. River Rd. around 12:15 a.m. March 31.

A few hours later, at 4 a.m., they received another fire call at 1060 S.E. 24th Ave., where a trash can had been set alight at W.L. Henry Elementary School.

Then at 5 a.m., officers located another trash can burning at the Sunset Esplanade Shopping center, 2295 S.E. Tualatin Valley Highway.

Officers searching the area around the Sunset Esplanade located five juveniles allegedly hiding in a display shed across T.V. Highway at Lowe's. All were around 13 years old, Reimann told Patch Friday.

One of the juveniles reportedly confessed to the fires and three of the five were taken into custody on suspicion of reckless burning, Reimann said.

There was no damage beyond burned trash cans, Reimann said. The juveniles, none whom had any previous records, were released to their parents.

"The kids were bored and just started lighting these trash cans," he said, noting that as common as it is for kids to play pranks this incident stands out. "This is pretty unusual. Kids do things on accident, playing with stuff –– but nothing like this."

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