A 12-year-old is suspected of starting two fires inside a Marblehead church over the past two weeks, authorities said Monday.

The incidents occurred inside Our Lady Star of the Sea Church on Atlantic Avenue. The first happened on Sept. 21, and the second on Sept. 28.

On each of the past two Sundays, small fires were reported and quickly extinguished. There was no permanent damage to the church.

After they responded to the first fire, officials suspected that it was intentionally set. They responded to the church again on Sunday at about 11:42 a.m. and found a small fire in a bathroom, according to a release from the Marblehead fire and police departments. State Police assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s Office helped in the investigation.

Officials only identified the suspect as a 1

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