(From the Fostoria Police Division)

On 02/05/2024 the Fostoria Police Department, along with Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and John’s Towing from Tiffin, were able to remove the vehicle discovered in Fostoria City Reservoir 4 on 01/29/2024. The vehicle, identified by the vehicle identification number (VIN) as a 1991 Mercury, with Ohio registration FVR 185. The expiration tag on the said license plate was from 1993. Due to the age of the vehicle and it’s license plates, there were no records on file with the BMV any longer.

Once John’s Towing was able to pull the vehicle out of the water, law enforcement was able to examine the vehicle further. Fortunately, there are no signs or evidence in the vehicle that indicates that any other crime, other than theft, had taken place.

The Fostoria Police Department was able to locate an old title from the Seneca County Title Office, which listed the last known owner as the Motorist Insurance Company. BCI’s Investigative Unit was also able to obtain information on the vehicle, which indicated it had been reported stolen to the Findlay Police Department in 1993. The report listed the vehicle as recovered in 1996, which is believed to have been when the insurance company wrote it off as a loss, and paid off the remainder of the vehicle’s loan, through the Ford Motor Credit Company. The Fostoria Records Office and the Findlay Records Department have been communicating to see if it is possible to obtain any old reports or information, that may have been filed when the vehicle was reported stolen.

The Fostoria Police Department and The Fostoria City Administration would again like to thank Ohio BCI and John’s Towing for all their hard work recovering this vehicle from the reservoir; Without their knowledge, resources, and assistance, this wouldn’t have been possible and made to look so easy.

(picture courtesy of the Fostoria Police Division)