Two teens charged with arson of old Larry’s Diner in Plainfield

Two teens have been accused of setting fire to the Larry’s Diner building in Plainfield.

The fire at the building, the site of a favorite local restaurant that had closed long before the blaze, was March 24.

On Thursday, two 14-year-old males were taken into custody on charges of arson and criminal damage to property.

The fire occurred on the north side of the Larry’s Diner building at 24522 W. Lockport St.

The two teens were in the immediate area at the time of the incident, and that led officers to identify them as “persons of interest,” according to a statement on Friday from the Plainfield Police Department.

About a week after the fire, officers received a report of a criminal damage to property incident near Lockport Street and Wood Farm Road, police said.

Detectives determined the same two juveniles were responsible for the property damage incident, police said.

When the juveniles were taken into custody over the latter incident, detectives obtained a warrant for the juveniles’ cellphones, police said.

A forensic examination of the cellphones yielded evidence linking the teens to the March 24 arson at the former Larry’s Diner building, police said.

The Plainfield Fire Protection District collaborated with police on the arson investigation.