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Van Buren Twp. police searching for clues after 1997 Ford Mustang was pulled from lake

By and Brendan Vrabel
Published  July 29, 2025 8:05pm EDT
Metro Detroit
FOX 2 Detroit
Police search for clues after Mustang is pulled from lake

Police search for clues after Mustang is pulled from lake

Police tell FOX 2 that they train on Belleville Lake every month with an in-house dive team. And with that, using equipment to locate things underwater. This training has led to the Van Buren Township Department of Public Safety helping locate a huge find in the water, a 1997 Ford Mustang Convertible.

The Brief

    • Van Buren Twp. Officials are on the hunt to solve a cas after finding a car at the bottom of a lake.
    • Police say the car was found in Bellville Lake where they do training every month.
    • If you have an idea as to how the car ended up in the lake, you can contact the Van Burren Police Department.

VAN BUREN TWP., Mich. (FOX 2) - Van Buren Township police want to solve a difficult new case after a huge find at the bottom of a lake. 

Big picture view:

Police tell FOX 2 that they train on Belleville Lake every month with an in-house dive team. And with that, using equipment to locate things underwater. 

This training has led to the Van Buren Township Department of Public Safety helping locate a huge find in the water, a 1997 Ford Mustang Convertible. 

Tow companies in the area helped officials get the car out of the lake on Monday. 

"It was unbelievable. We were taking estimates as to how long it had been down there. we’re thinking between 15 and 20 years," said Sgt. Ryan McCormick.

However, that is just part of the mystery for McCormick, who was part of the dive team that recovered the vehicle. Police say there was not much inside the car, just sand, silt and rocks. 

Dig deeper:

An investigation has already started and so has the search for the owner. 

Through all the muck and mussels attached to the car, police have already found key information, a confidential VIN on the car that will allow officials to track it back to NIB. It was reported in a carjacking 25 years prior. 

Now, new problems arise in the investigation as evidence recovered is not usable due to age and how long it has been in the water. 

As investigators search high and low for clues, they will follow their investigative nose. They say they will solve this case, as there is no such thing as a perfect crime. 

What you can do:

If you have an idea as to how the car ended up in the lake, you can contact the Van Burren Police Department. 

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