A St. Petersburg teenager was manipulated by phone scammers into setting fire to a police officer’s personal vehicle on Zakharievskaya Street. The incident occurred after the youth was threatened with being placed in an orphanage if he didn’t comply with their demands.

The scammers, posing as government officials, contacted the teenager and issued threats. To avoid the alleged consequences, he was instructed to go to a building near one of the departments of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Once there, the teenager received specific instructions on how to commit arson, which he then followed. The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported a fire involving a car near house number 8 on Zakharievskaya Street.

The fire, which originated in the car’s engine compartment, was reported at 7:56 PM and extinguished by 8:08 PM. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the incident.