HOUSTON – A sergeant found $1,188 worth of beef, pork and shrimp, among other items, in a vehicle pulled over by authorities Sunday.
The food is believed to have been stolen from a Kroger store, according to a news release from the office of Constable Ryan Gable.
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Michael Cordova, 52, is accused in the felony theft case.
The situation started Sunday when a sergeant was driving in the Fox Run subdivision, as part of his routine patrols.
The sergeant watched as the passenger of a vehicle tossed out an aluminum can, so the official decided to stop the car.
As the traffic stop unfolded, the sergeant learned of a theft that had just taken place at the Kroger at 3731 Riley Fuzzel Road.
The license plate for the vehicle stopped matched the suspect vehicle description reported by Kroger, officials said.
The driver consented to a search, and that’s when the meat and other items were discovered.
A roast was found in the glove box and a T-bone steak under the driver’s seat, investigators said. The rest of the meat was in two containers, one in the back seat and one in the trunk. Cordova, who lives in the Houston area, was a passenger in the vehicle, and he was taken into custody.
This is considered a felony because Cordova has previously been convicted of theft.
The driver was released due to previous medical issues that needed to be addressed, and a warrant will be issued for his or her arrest at a later time.
Finally, Kroger got its meat back, officials said in the release.