Detroit Police Dive Team to Recover 15+ Cars from the Detroit River

Perhaps they'll find Jimmy Hoffa?

The Detroit Free Press:

Divers working a case in June discovered the 15 sunken cars in the murky water near West Jefferson and Junction. The Detroit Police Underwater Recovery Team, starting at 9:30 today, will begin recovering the vehicles over a two-day period.

The Detroit News has more:

Police pulled a '70s-era, blue pick-up truck and a moped out of the Detroit River near Junction on the city's southwest side as part an effort to remove as many as 14 submerged vehicles.

Police say this is the most cars they've ever taken at one time from the river.

A crew of 10 divers from the Police Undercover Water Recovery team took pictures of the vehicles under the water to mark locations and to connect steel cables and cloth straps so that the vehicles can be pulled out of the river by a large tow truck. No bodies were immediately visible.

The area where recovery is taking place is just off the shore of the river where it touches city water department property.

"Once the vehicles are out of the water, police will check and see if the vehicles are stolen or have been used in other crimes," said Detroit Police Inspector Don Johnson.

"A nearby petroleum company asked police to clear a vehicle from the water about a month ago," Johnson said. "During that process, divers discovered other vehicles, and plans were made for their removal," he said.

The recovery team divers will spend the next two days probing the Detroit River for sunken autos.

There's lots that has been thrown into the Detroit River over the years and lots of things waiting to be found there. Many of these vehicles may have been sunk there to hide evidence of crimes, for insurance fraud, or simply to dispose of the vehicles on the cheap.

Should be interesting to hear the results of the recovery operations and I hope the Freep and News cover the operation as it goes.

Update: Yes, the Detroit News follows up with a report that so far 5 cars and a moped have been recovered - Police fish dumped vehicles out of river complete with pictures of a Toyota Celica being lifted out of the water.