Earlier this month, my colleague Peter Hermann wrote about how thefts of copper gutters are aggravating residents in the Northern District. Today, police there report that an officer arrested a 48-year-old man who was carrying a suitcase containing 80 pounds of copper wiring.

Officer Chedais Jacques was on patrol on Dec. 20, just after midnight, when he saw a suspicious man in the 2600 block of Loyola Southway, police said. When he attempted to stop the man for a field interview, the man assaulted him and attempted to fleed. After a brief foot pursuit, he apprehended the man and arrested him for assault. 

According to police, in the man's possession was a black suitcase containing 80 pounds of copper wiring, which they took into evidence. The seizure is a minor victory, as police have not been able to link it to any specific thefts and only charged White with assault. But the department put out a bulletin asking officers taking reports of wire thefts to be in contact with Jacques. 

The suspect was identified as Joe Marshall White, of the 5100 block of Arbutus Ave.