Thousand Oaks boy, 13, arrested on suspicion of setting fires

Ventura County authorities Friday arrested a 13-year-old Thousand Oaks boy suspected of starting three small arson fires this week, all in the same area near a popular hiking trailhead.

The youth, who was not identified because of his age, allegedly admitted to starting the three blazes, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department said in a statement. He was apprehended near the Los Robles Trailhead at Moorpark Road and Greenmeadow Avenue after investigators spotted him riding his bike away from a small fire that had just been set.

The first fire was ignited Tuesday and spread to 1,000 square feet before it was extinguished by firefighters. Two more small fires were ignited in the same area Thursday but burned themselves out before authorities arrived.

The juvenile was cited for arson and released to his parents.

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-- Catherine Saillant