Vehicle missing since 1982 was located by chance with the help of sonar and mobilized rescue teams in Massachusetts
An unusual case drew attention in Leicester, Massachusetts, in the United States. A vehicle stolen 44 years ago was located at the bottom of Lake Rochdale after a fisherman identified a submerged structure with the use of sonar.
It was a 1982 Volkswagen Rabbit pickup, missing shortly after its purchase. The rescue was carried out on April 13 and mobilized a task force involving the Leicester Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police dive team, as well as the fire department and the local works department.
SEE ALSO:
The vehicle was removed from the water after the joint operation, but, according to the authorities, there were no relevant items inside. The main hypothesis is that the car was abandoned at the scene after the theft, with no attempt to disassemble or tamper with identification.
Despite decades submerged, the model presented a state of conservation considered surprising. The presence of algae and sediment may have contributed to reducing corrosion in some parts of the bodywork.
Authorities were able to identify the original owner and confirm the theft record as early as the 1980s. Detailed information about the engine was not disclosed.
