Shortly after 11:00 on the morning of Wednesday, December 31, 1997, Second District Officer Steve Allen responded to a call for service to investigate the report of a theft inside of the American Red Cross National Headquarters, located at 1430 17th Street, NW.

After ascertaining from eyewitnesses that the suspect, who was being detained by security guards, had allegedly stolen a wallet from a purse in a third floor office and attempted to steal items from a purse in a garden-level office, Officer Allen placed the suspect under arrest. Furthermore, a computer records check revealed that the suspect was wanted on a DC Superior Court arrest warrant for Uttering.

The suspect is identified as 37-year-old Leroy Peterson of the 1000 block of Shepherd Street, NE. He is scheduled to be arraigned today in DC Superior Court.

Members of the Second District are continuing their investigation. No further information is available at this time.