A 37-year-old man sought by police after being accused of using a thin metal rod to poke strangers in Southeast Portland was arrested Monday.

Justin C. Venable is being held in the Multnomah County Detention Center on suspicion of harassment. He was found around 5:35 p.m. near Southeast 35th Avenue and Main Street and the rod was taken by Portland officers.

It's not immediately clear if police have determined a reason for the pokings.

Police earlier Monday publicly released a photo of a rod-carrying man that was taken by one of the alleged victims and identified him as Venable. It was a call from someone who spotted Venable that led to officers finding and arresting him, police said.

None of the people poked were seriously injured, police said.

Portland police said they've received four reports from people who've been jabbed with rods at random between Saturday and Monday and all but one occurred around Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey