Four boys – aged between 11 and 13 – have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a blaze at a Tesco Extra in Bedworth. The fire happened at the Mill Street supermarket in Warwickshire at around 5.30pm on Thursday, January 2.
The young suspects, two boys from Bedworth, one from Nuneaton, and a fourth from Nottingham, have since been arrested on suspicion of ‘arson endangering life’. All four were released on bail while police enquiries continue after they were arrested on January 4.
Customers and staff at the Tesco branch were evacuated after a ‘big bang’ was heard at one part of the store before filling with smoke. Eyewitnesses reported seeing black smoke coming from near to the toilets inside the store.
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A “significant amount” of damage was done to the supermarket, according to DI Paul Sartoris of Warwickshire Police. He said: “A significant amount of damage has been caused to this supermarket in Bedworth as the result of a fire, and there was a serious risk that someone could have been badly hurt.
“When such serious incidents are reported to the police, we will always take robust action to quickly locate and arrest the suspects.”