Posted: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:10 PM - 8,043 Readers

By: Jessica Vess - KVUE News

It might be the one silver lining to the drought that has gripped Central Texas -- thanks to the drought, investigators could close some very cold cases of auto theft.

"Looks like these are going to be the 80's early 90's thefts before they put deterrents up out here at the park to prevent cars from getting pushed over the cliffs or driven off the cliffs," said Mike Morton of the Travis County Sheriff's Office.

Morton helps lead the Sheriff Office’s Combined Auto-Theft Task Force. The team pulled a car out of Lake Travis Thursday morning.

"For us it's sort of the pot at the end of rainbow," said Deputy Morton.

A wrecker slowly pulled the older model car over the edge of Marshall’s Cove in Pace Bend Park. Deputies believe it is a Monte Carlo that could be several decades old. When it hit the ground, it broke in half.

Deputies are now searching through their list of reported stolen vehicles to see if it's a match. However, they believe that it may have been part of an insurance fraud scheme, since the keys were found still hanging in the ignition.

"This is what we're trained to do. This is what the taxpayer's money goes toward," said Morton.

About three weeks ago, when the lake levels dropped to another low, a parks ranger called the team when he noticed a car submerged in the lake. The team pulled it out. It turned out to be a missing car from 1988.

"We are going to find the car and when we find the car we are going to pursue criminal charges," said Morton.

Last week, deputies say a different ranger saw another car.

The team had to wait until Thursday morning before making efforts to pull it out because it needed the lake levels to drop more.

The team will move next to Kid's Cliff in Pace Bend Park where a boater reported finding a motorcycle in the water.

Sheriff's deputies believe it's one that was reported stolen in June 2009.

*  Story Contributed by: Jessica Vess - KVUE News