CARRSVILLE, Va. — Virginia State Police recovered two stolen vehicles from the Blackwater River in Isle of Wight County on Wednesday, with a possible third still waiting to be recovered.
Divers with the Virginia State Police Search and Recovery team suited-up and used sonar technology to find two cars and a truck near the bottom of the river, using a process called side-scanning to find objects in the water.
“That’s the headlights right there," said 1st Sergeant Mike Berry said as he showed 13News Now how he can spot vehicles in the depths of the river. Berry makes the calls on the river as the team's coordinator.
“Alright, I’m going to send these other two divers down," said Berry.
He marks where the cars are located in the water with a crab cage. Then Berry directs the specially-trained state police divers to locate and hook the vehicle to remove it from the river. It’s hard to see in the water, so the divers have to feel their way to the cars.
“Places like this -- out of the way -- are perfect dump sites for any kind of criminal evidence," said Berry looking at the Joyners Bridge in Isle of Wight County.
Berry explained the team was on another mission in the area a few weeks ago and saw the Joyners Bridge boat ramp.
“So the vehicles we're finding underwater, they are normally involved in insurance fraud, they're stolen... it could be a homicide, it could be suicide. It could be accidental," said Berry.
A Ford F-150 pickup truck was the first vehicle pulled out. Divers checked it for any remains and they didn't find any. Investigators explained all of the vehicles recovered had been reported stolen more than 10 years ago. The truck was reported stolen in 2002, while a Plymouth pulled out hours later had been reported stolen in 2004 out of Southhampton County.
“You know, you look at these cars and there is a detective and investigator that worked these cases. These cars disappeared and someone called to assist and no one knew what happened to them and now we’re bringing some more pieces to that puzzle by recovering them," said Berry.
Berry said there is still a third car -- possibly a stolen Porsche -- still in the river. They will come back to get it at a future date.
Virginia State Police is seeking the public's assistance in obtaining any information on either vehicle recovered or ownership of said vehicles.
Anyone who has information is asked to call 757-424-6800 or email questions@vsp.virginia.gov.