Here's a news release from Sgt. Dave Reagan:

Officers arrested a 45-year-old Spokane man Sunday after they caught him inside a vacant house apparently looking for copper wire to steal. 

At 1:30 p.m., a man called to report a suspicious vehicle parked behind his mother’s vacant East Broadway home.  Officers Brian Hert and Chan Erdman approached the home and noted “No Trespassing” signs on both the front and back doors.

The two ordered the person they heard inside the home to exit and Todd E. Hickman walked out.  He acknowledged not knowing the owner of the home.

Hert’s investigation revealed that Hickman was on his way to the East Broadway Wal-Mart when he noticed two vacant homes across the street and decided to enter. 

Hert checked Hickman’s truck and found a large amount of copper wire in the back.  He also saw pieces of copper plumbing and a crowbar, hacksaw and other hand tools.

The officer determined that much of the wire had come from a vacant house just east of where they found Hickman.  Although they were unable to contact the owner of that home, they did establish that the suspect had cut and removed the power cord from the home’s electrical dryer.

Hert drove Hickman to the Spokane County Jail and booked him on a single count of Residential Burglary.

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