Police arrested an 18-year-old suspected of breaking into a family home on Josip Slavenski Street overnight Friday to Saturday and setting fires in several places. No injuries were reported.
The Međimurje Police Department arrested an 18-year-old on suspicion of breaking into a family home in Ivanovec on Friday evening, August 14, 2026, and setting a fire that completely gutted the interior. The homeowner, a 51-year-old man, estimated the material damage at around 70,000 euros.
A report of the fire on Josip Slavenski Street was received at the Operational Communications Center of the Međimurje Police Department at 9:53 PM, as reported by Studentski.hr. Firefighters from the Čakovec Public Fire Brigade and the Gornji Vidovec and Ivanovec Volunteer Fire Departments arrived at the scene and successfully extinguished the blaze. When the fire broke out, no one was home, and no injuries were reported.
An on-site investigation was conducted in cooperation with an inspector for fire and explosion protection. According to the findings, the fire was caused by human action.
The police investigation revealed that the 18-year-old, after threatening to burn down the house, went to the family home in Ivanovec. From the rear, he forcibly opened the door using physical force and entered the house, then set fires in several places, causing the flames to spread throughout the interior.
"The on-site investigation, conducted in cooperation with the inspector for fire and explosion protection, established that the fire was caused by deliberate human action. The criminal investigation determined that the 18-year-old, after previously issuing a serious threat to burn down the house, arrived at the family home in Ivanovec, where he forcibly opened the rear door using physical force and entered the house. After entering, he set fires in several locations, causing the fire to spread to the interior. The 51-year-old homeowner estimated the resulting material damage at approximately 70,000 euros. Due to the criminal offenses of endangering life and property by a dangerous act or means and making threats, a criminal report has been filed against the suspect with the competent state attorney's office, and he has been handed over to the custody supervisor of the Međimurje Police Department," the police stated.
Due to the criminal offenses of endangering life and property by a dangerous act or means and making threats, a criminal report has been filed against the suspect with the competent state attorney's office. The suspect has been placed in custody under the supervision of the Međimurje Police Department.
Ivanovec is a settlement within the City of Čakovec in Međimurje County.
