4 teenagers charged with arson in Mount Prospect

Four teenagers have been charged with arson after starting a fire in a portable toilet last week in a park in northwest suburban Mount Prospect.

Two 14-year-old boys and two 16-year-old boys have all been charged with one felony count each of arson as juveniles in connection with the June 10 fire in the portable toilet in Meadows Park, 1401 W. Gregory St., according to a statement from Mount Prospect police.

Someone called police about 3:45 a.m. because they saw fire in the middle of the park, police said. When officers responded, they found the portable toilet engulfed in flames.

While officers were at the scene, two male teenagers were spotted walking nearby, but when an officer tried to make contact with them, the teens ran away, police said. The officers searched the area with a description of the teens, but they were not found.

About 9:30 a.m. that day, an off-duty midnight shift sergeant who worked the fire scene was driving near Busse Road and Bonita Avenue when he saw two teenagers walking who matched the description of the teens who ran away from police about six hours earlier, police said.

The sergeant contacted his station and officers were dispatched to make contact with the teens, who eventually implicated themselves as being involved with setting the portable toilet on fire, police said. The investigation also revealed that two other teenagers were involved in starting the fire.

The fire caused about $1,500 worth of damage, police said.

Police were also able to clear several other arsons of portable toilets that occurred in the area within the past nine months.