Kids arrested after allegedly making Molotov cocktail, setting couch on fire

Four kids, ranging from ages 15 through 8, have been arrested on arson charges after setting a couch in a vacant field afire.

On Wednesday, shortly before 8:30 p.m., San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Deputy Jason Schroeder and San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighters responded to a report of a couch on fire in a field on the 13800 block of Smoke Tree Street.

Schroeder determined that a group of kids, ages 15, 10, 9 and 8, were attempting to dispose of the couch.

The 10 year old boy suggested they use a Molotov cocktail to destroy the couch. Molotov cocktails are improvised incendiary bombs created by putting a flammable liquid inside a bottle with a burning rag stuffed in the end as a fuse. They were first used in the 1939 war between Finland and the Soviet Union, and are named after the USSR's then-foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov. The boy had allegedly learned of Molotov cocktails from a videogame.

The nine year old boy suggested putting alcohol-based mouthwash in a found bottle, according to the sheriff's department. According to Schroeder, the nine year old lit the fuse and placed the bottle on the couch. Witnesses reportedly then saw all four kids flee to their homes.

No one was injured in the incident and there was no property damage, beyond the burning of the couch.

The boys will receive counseling from the Juvenile Arson Firestarter Program.

Beau Yarbrough can be reached at 956-7108 or at beau@hesperiastar.com.