The Atherton Police Department is investigating what they are calling the “suspicious” circumstances which led a car to be buried in the backyard of a residential property, according to a statement released Thursday.
Landscapers uncovered the vehicle while working on a project for the current homeowners, finding it buried four or five feet beneath the soil with unused bags of concrete inside, according to the news release. No human remains have been found at the time of writing, but the situation is evolving as cadaver dogs got a hint of potential remains within the site when they were brought to investigate, the press release noted.
#BREAKING Landscapers discover buried car on the property of Atherton mansion. Police say the current homeowner had no idea it was there. Sources tell our @nbcbayarea investigative team that cadaver dogs got a hit. Officers carefully excavating the car. https://t.co/euHw9IuH4q pic.twitter.com/smbcb2AOGy
— Janelle Wang (@janellewang) October 21, 2022
San Mateo crime lab has sent technicians to help excavate the vehicle. The car is believed to have been buried some time in the 1990s, prior to the current homeowner’s occupancy, the release continued. The current homeowners, who purchased the house in March 2020, are the ones who called the police to inform them of the discovery, NBC reported. The previous occupants are now under suspicion, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Family Disappears After 911 Call Asking To Talk To The FBI About 9/11, Grandmother Left Behind)
The neighborhood is considered a relatively affluent suburb of Silicon Valley. The property is currently valued at around $15 million, CBS reported.