Humbeek (Eurotoday) – Police in Grimbergen and federal authorities are searching canals for old cars to solve missing persons cases and prevent pollution. Using sonar and divers, they have already found three vehicles. Mayor Bart Laeremand assures public cooperation.
Police in Grimbergen are assisting federal authorities in searching the Humbeek canal for submerged vehicles. The operation aims to improve waterway safety and potentially uncover clues related to unsolved missing persons cases. Officials believe some of the cars might hold important evidence.
Authorities are focusing on locations where reports suggest vehicles have been dumped. So far, they have recovered three cars, but there is no indication that they are linked to any missing persons investigations. Despite this, police remain committed to locating and retrieving all vehicles from the canal, hoping to find critical information.
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Mayor Bart Laeremand reassures residents that the increased police presence around the canal is solely for the vehicle recovery operation. Local and federal officers are working together to ensure the process runs smoothly.
He emphasized that removing the cars not only aids law enforcement investigations but also helps protect the environment, as abandoned vehicles can cause water pollution. Authorities are asking for public patience while the search continues, as they believe the effort is essential for both solving crimes and public safety.
The federal police, in collaboration with other agencies, are surveying canals and rivers from Vilvoorde to Antwerp. They suspect some of the vehicles found could shed light on unresolved missing persons cases.
Special sonar-equipped boats are used to identify possible submerged vehicles. Once a target is located, divers are deployed to explore the site, capture images, and retrieve any evidence. Additionally, police are conducting “Operation Graveyard,” an initiative that involves exhuming unidentified remains from cemeteries to extract DNA and determine identities. This project aims to solve cold cases and provide closure to families.
“First, a sonar boat will be used to locate hotspots, and then divers will take action to conduct further research. We hope that this operation will help solve important cases,”
Verdegem concludes.
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