OTSEGO, Mich. - A 21 year old Otsego man was fishing from the shore of the Kalamazoo River when he reeled in a stolen revolver, Michigan State Police say.
Blake Blanchard took the .357 Rugaer Blackhawk home and called the state police.
Tpr. Evan Alkema retrieved the rusted, inoperable revolver from Blanchard -- which was loaded at the time, and worked on cleaning the frame to identify a serial number.
Alkema was able to determine that someone had tried to destroy the numbers, so the revolver was then taken to the MSP Crime Lab in Grand Rapids where the serial number was restored, according to a release from MSP.
The weapon was determined to have been stolen during a breaking and entering of a residence in Monterrey Township in Allegan County in July 2001. The original crime was investigated by the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department and the victim believed his estranged son was the culprit, however charges were never sought.
The son has since died.
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