85 Koi fish stolen from Yucaipa restaurant; suspect arrested

A man was arrested in connection with stealing 85 Koi fish from a Yucaipa restaurant last weekend, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said.

Two suspects broke into the Oak House Restaurant on Yucaipa Boulevard on Saturday around 3:30 a.m. and took the fish from the pond in front, the sheriff's department said.

Owner Silvia Duarte said she is shocked something like this could happen. She said the Koi fish have been in the pond for more than 20 years.

"I heard on the cameras when he was talking about a specific fish," Duarte said. "So in the audio, you can hear the voices say which one they were looking for."

Investigators were able to track the suspect vehicle to and from the scene and used surveillance video to identify one of the suspects.

The sheriff's department said they went to David Smith's home, where they found evidence of the theft -- along with five Koi fish. Smith was arrested on charges of grand theft.

The five fish were returned to the restaurant, but the others are believed to have been sold.