Thieves Steal Trailer With Big Haul of Halibut

A tractor-trailer containing 45,000 pounds of frozen halibut was stolen from the gated grounds of a small trucking company Sunday night, police said.

The truck had transported the fish from Seattle and was scheduled to deliver its payload to a downtown Los Angeles business Monday morning, said Det. Marc Zavala of the Los Angeles Police Department.

“The cargo is estimated to be worth about $138,000,” Zavala said.

Police had few leads Monday afternoon, but ruled out the possibility of an inside job.

“This is a reputable, small and independent company and it definitely was not an inside thing,” Zavala said.

Noel McDonald, who owns the trucking business, J.S. McDonald, with her husband, Jeff, said they were in shock.

“We’re just devastated,” she said. “We can’t believe it.”

McDonald said the truck was parked 100 feet behind a gate that was securely locked with a thick chain.

When she and her husband drove to the Northridge site from their West Hills home around 5:45 a.m. Monday, the chain had been cut and the truck was gone.

“We’ve parked trucks there for seven years and never has anything like this happened,” McDonald said.

The truck is a light blue Freight Liner with the name J.S. McDonald printed on the side, with the license plate SP77972. The trailer is a white 1999 Wabash with T12 printed in blue on each side. The license plate is GT78998.

Anyone with information should call the LAPD’s Devonshire Division at (818) 756-8285.