A savvy Fresno County Sheriff’s deputy recovered $5 million in computer equipment last week stolen from the San Francisco Port Authority, authorities say.

The deputy stopped a 2013 Nissan van heading south on Interstate 5 near the Highway 33 exit. During the stop, the deputy saw signs of possible criminal activity, sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said.

A search of the van turned up numerous boxes of new computer gear. The deputy issued the driver, Manuel Romero Acosta, 49, a traffic citation and had the van towed to storage.

On Tuesday, the deputy executed a search warrant and confirmed that the memory devices and data storage servers were stolen and valued at $5.1 million, Botti said.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Acosta, who is believed to reside in Burbank.

The investigation into the theft is ongoing.

Tips on this Case?

Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (559) 600-3111 or Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867.

You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. The case is No. 24-2445.