The Windsor Police Auto Theft Unit has now determined that nine out of the 12 vehicles pulled from Detroit River earlier this month were reported stolen.
On Oct. 8-9, a team of divers worked to remove the vehicles from an inlet off the Detroit River near Mill Street and Russell Street in Old Sandwich Town as part of work to clear the site for a future development.
A trailer was also recovered from the water along with the vehicles.
Constable Jamie Fummerton with the Windsor Police Auto Theft Unit says they are still investigating, but it will take some time as the vehicles range in age from 1981 to 2017 model years.
He says theft reports for the vehicles were recorded between 2001 and 2017, but none of the vehicles reported stolen have been linked to any crimes.
"It's going to depend on cooperation from people involved. For a lot of these vehicles, the owners have received payouts from the insurance companies. So whether or not the insurance companies have documented anything that can help us and determine who owned it, get ahold of witnesses," he says.
As for the site itself, Fummerton believes it was just an easy access point to get the vehicles into the water and make them disappear.
All of the vehicles pulled from the water have already been scrapped.
Anyone who does have any information in regards to the investigation can contact the Windsor Police Auto Theft Unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4307.
The public can also contact Windsor and Essex County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 (TIPS) or online at http://catchcrooks.com.