FOLEY, Minn. (WCCO) — Authorities in central Minnesota are investigating the circumstances behind a charred snowmobile found on a frozen lake.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office says a call came in on Jan. 15 about a burnt snowmobile on Little Rock Lake, just southeast of Rice. Deputies found the vehicle chassis some 50 feet from shore on the lake’s east side.
Only the snowmobile’s frame and some metal components weren’t burned, all of which were stuck to lake ice. No identifiable markers, like a serial number, remained. Investigators believe a combustible fluid leaked from the machine, which then was ignited.
Deputies left the remains of the snowmobile on the lake to remove at a later date. However, someone reported five days later that the remains had been spotted alongside Sucker Creek Road Northwest.
The sheriff’s office wants anyone who knows the owner of the snowmobile, or the parties responsible for removing it from the lake, to call 320-968-7201, or contact Tri-County Crime Stoppers online. They can also be reached at 800-255-1201.
