Officials had to evacuate a Council Bluffs neighborhood because of a natural gas leak that was started by a copper thief.

About a dozen houses were evacuated before dawn Thursday morning while officials searched for the source of the gas leak. Residents were allowed to return home around 6:30 a.m.

Council Bluffs police say the gas leak came from a vacant homewhere someone had been trying to steal copper pipe. Officials believe the thief cut the home’s natural gas line and water line while trying to steal the copper.

Police arrested a teen suspect in the theft and recovered the stolen copper.

The affected neighborhood is a couple blocks east of Interstate 29 on the west side of Council Bluffs near 36th and B streets.

–AP