Stolen tow truck discovered in Merrimack River

LOWELL, Mass. -- A tow truck was discovered floating down the Merrimack River and now police are involved in the case.

At a popular boat launch in Lowell, it wasn’t bass or catfish on the line, but a stolen tow truck.

“We were just dropping the boat in the water and he was on the boat and I was in the truck and he was like, ‘You’re not going to believe what I just saw.’” said Kevin McGinty.

McGinty and Chris Mauti were putting their boat in for a cruise along the Merrimack River when they spotted, not a trout, but a truck.

“The current was taking me to the left and I just thought it was part of the dock that’s out there and I just started floating over it and I’m like, ‘Wow. I really hope I don’t hit this.’ And I’m looking at it like, ‘Wow. This really looks like a truck.’” said Mauti.

It turns out the tow truck was stolen right out of Lowell Fleet Towing last Tuesday. The owner thinks the thieves got scared, ripped out the GPS and sank the vehicle.

“We are work very hard for all this equipment that we all have and it’s pretty aggravating,” said John Razzino, Lowell Fleet.

Fire crews spent a couple of hours navigating around and helping to put out a line to get it out of the water.

It’s the last thing McGinty and Mauti thought they’d see being reeled in.

“Just a typical Tuesday night cruise and this is what happens,” said Mauti.

Police say they have an idea of who could be responsible and will continue their investigation.

(Copyright (c) 2011 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)