Flare, Fire, and a Trail of Crimes: 12-Year-Old Faces Arson and Burglary Charges in New Hartford

August 1, 2025

NEW HARTFORD, NY — Just before closing time on July 23, 2025, a fire broke out inside the Walmart on Commercial Drive in New Hartford. Around 10:40 PM, police were called to the store after reports of flames in one of the back aisles. When officers arrived, they discovered the fire was no accident. It had been intentionally set by a 12-year-old boy using a flare taken from the sporting goods section.

According to police, the juvenile and another young male had lit the flare and attempted to ignite various store items. The 12-year-old eventually moved to a display of pillows and bedding, where he planted the burning flare and ran. As smoke filled the air, Walmart employees quickly sprang into action, locating and extinguishing the fire before it could cause more serious damage. No injuries were reported, thanks to their fast response.

But the story didn’t end there.

Earlier that same day, New Hartford Police were also called to Sangertown Square Mall for a past burglary at Paradise Eatery. As detectives dug deeper, they linked the same two juveniles to that break-in, which occurred just hours before the Walmart incident.

The 12-year-old’s recent criminal activity doesn’t stop with arson and burglary. He’s also facing charges from unrelated incidents, including menacing at Consumer Square and bike theft in the Village of New Hartford.

On July 30, the juvenile was formally charged with:

▪︎ Arson in the 2nd Degree (Class B felony)

▪︎ Reckless Endangerment in the 1st Degree (Class D felony)

▪︎ Burglary in the 3rd Degree (Class D felony)

▪︎ Petit Larceny (Class A misdemeanor)

Because of his age, the boy and his parent were issued appearance tickets and will face these charges through the Oneida County Probation Department. Additional charges remain pending.