Deputies smelled something fishy when they made a traffic stop Wednesday morning.
According to Lt. Mark Hershey of the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s station, deputies followed and stopped a stolen car driven by Robert Bradford, 24, as he drove along the I-5 just south of Highway 126, shortly after 6 a.m.
Bradford was alone in the car, but the car was far from empty. Along with the driver, deputies found 400 pounds of frozen packaged shrimp and fish, which he said he obtained around midnight in San Pedro. Hershey said he was not clear as to just how or where he got the fish, which made deputies even more suspicious.
A more extensive search of the car yielded three “balls” of methamphetamine and several burglary tools.
Bradford was booked at the Santa Clarita station on suspicion of grand theft auto, receiving stolen property, methamphetamine for sale and possession of burglary tools. He is being held at the station in lieu of $35,000 bail.
The fish, which included salmon and tilapia fillets along with the shrimp, was beginning to thaw and give off a distinctive odor. It was photographed and a trash hauler was called to make an early pickup at the sheriff’s station.