Woman threatened with fines after reuniting with her stolen car 26 years later

A French woman has been left surprised and angry after Spanish authorities informed her they found her stolen Opel Kadett upside down in a dried-out swamp – 26 years after the theft occurred.

Authorities then threatened her with a fine if she didn't remove the car from the area.

Emi Carrasco said the vehicle was stolen during a family outing at a beach in Spain on 5 August 1997, and immediately reported the car missing.

With no further information from authorities at the time, Ms Carrasco claimed she forgot about it until local police told her they found the vehicle on 17 January 2024 in the Riudecanyes marsh – located in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia.

The car remained submerged underwater for more than 20 years until a drought exposed the land, revealing the stolen car.

In a turn of events, Ms Carrasco was told she could be fined if she didn’t move the stolen vehicle.

“I thought it was a joke,” she said in a media statement.

To avoid paying the surprising fine, Ms Carrasco claimed she showed authorities the original stolen report – which was filed when she informed police the Opel Kadett missing.

The France native said it had some sentimental value to her as it was the first vehicle she bought and shared with her husband Manolo after their wedding – the car also contained the original documents, as well as some personal belongings.

Local police said they are opening an investigation into the person responsible for the theft.