Sheriff: Suspect in string of car thefts caught with dozens of auto parts

Tomathias Beauford was arrested during a traffic stop in Clayton County. (Clayton County Sheriff's Office)

Clayton County police have arrested a suspect accused of being involved in a string of auto parts thefts in the county.

Officials say the arrest came after a traffic stop on State Route 138 Sunday when an officer pulled over a blue Toyota Matrix for an infraction.

The driver, identified as Tomathias Beauford, was found in possession of drugs, police said.

During a longer search of Beauford's vehicle, officials say they found around 50 catalytic converters. According to investigators, residents have recently been reporting a string of thefts of the part.

WATCH: FOX 5 Atlanta live news coverage

Loading Video…

This browser does not support the Video element.

Beauford is now in custody at the Clayton County Jail. His charges have not been released.

Download the FOX 5 Atlanta app for breaking news and weather alerts.