One youth has been referred to youth services after they allegedly set fire to items inside a Central Wellington building that later burnt down, police say.
Three others have also been referred to youth services, two weeks after the major inferno that gutted the vacant Toomaths Building on Ghuznee Street in the CBD.
Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch said officers had identified and located the four youths allegedly involved after previously appealing to the public for help.
“Four youths aged between 13 and 14 from Wellington have spoken with police and are understood to have been in the building at the time the fire started,” he said.
“All four will be referred to youth services for unlawfully being in the building.
“One of the young people has also been referred for setting fire to items which subsequently caused the building fire.
“Police are not able to provide any further comment at this time.”
The third alarm fire broke out on the afternoon of October 15 and caused serious structural damage to the building after starting out on the third floor.
Work to demolish the heritage building began earlier this week due to safety concerns.
Earlier, police said it had received reports of three boys and one girl “jumping the fence at the rear of the building shortly before the fire.”
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