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Nov 23, 2008 11:36 am US/Eastern
Cops: $60K BMW Buried For Insurance Money
$60,000 Car Buried 12-Feet Under
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBS) ―
What lies beneath a North Texas ranch that attracted a team of investigators? They solved the mystery only after unearthing it, CBS station KTVT-TV reported.
Buried in a giant hole in the North Texas countryside lay a well kept secret. Tommy Reed, a special agent with the National Insurance Crime Bureau said it had "been in the ground for nearly two years. It was in bad shape."
Investigators initially only found a muddy mess. They brought in a backhoe and started digging. Reed said, "There was trash exposed. It was six to seven (feet) down, and we had to dig another four to five feet to get it out."
The mangled metal detectives unearthed were the remains of a 2000 BMW 740I 12 feet beneath the ground. The car, which cost $60,000 brand new, was now worthless.
A special agent with the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Fort Worth Police, and the Tarrant Regional Auto Crimes Task Force found it in two pieces.
"I've uncovered vehicles buried before... Stolen vehicles buried before, but not one this deep," Reed said.
Records show the BMW's owner is Van Lewis, who lives on the ranch. The NICB said Lewis' son filed a bogus police report two years ago, claiming the BMW was stolen from right outside of his Fort Worth house.
"It was nearly eight-years-old. The insurance company paid $18,800 something for it. It's definitely insurance fraud," said Reed.
While investigators say digging up a car 12 feet underground is very rare, they say insurance fraud is a problem all too common.
"The percentage of insurance fraud is up there in the neighborhood of 30 percent," said Reed. "It causes our premiums to go up every year. Everyone pays for this."
CBS 11 News tried contacting Lewis' wife about the dug-up BMW, but she didn't want to talk. Her son also has not returned our calls.
Detectives are still investigating and haven't filed any charges yet.
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