Second stolen vehicle pulled from Lanier at Mountain View Park

GAINESVILLE - Hall County Sheriff's Dive Team members have recovered a second stolen vehicle from the waters of Lake Lanier this week.

The most recent recovery happened Thursday when divers pulled a 2003 Toyota Four-Runner from about 23 feet of water off the boat ramp at Mountain View Park.

"It was originally reported as a stolen vehicle in November of 2004 from the city of Oakwood," said Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks with the Hall County Sheriff's Office.

Despite the fact that both vehicles were Toyota SUVs and both were found off the Mountain View Park boat ramp just 75 feet apart from each other, Wilbanks does not believe the thefts are related.

"The boat ramps give criminals an easy way to dispose of stolen vehicles," said Wilbanks. "We haven't located any evidence or seen any indication that these vehicles were linked in any way."

Authorities were alerted to the sunken vehicles by fishermen using sonar devices on their boats, according to Wilbanks.