VICTORIA -- A swimmer in Saanich’s Prospect Lake made a surprising discovery Thursday morning.

Police received a call from the swimmer saying that they had found a submerged car in the lake near a boat launch off Echo Drive.

Members of the Saanich Police Dive Team and the department’s forensic identification section then responded to the call and located the vehicle.

Police divers entered the lake to see if there was anything else suspicious inside or near the car.

Divers confirmed that there was nothing else suspicious and recorded the area with an underwater camera.

The vehicle, a two-door Fiat 500, was then towed out of the lake by Totem Towing. Police later discovered that the vehicle was reported stolen in March.

The Saanich Fire Department was called to the area to help clean up a “small amount” of fluid that had leaked out of the vehicle. Police say there are no signs of any other leaks affecting the lake.

“While it is currently unknown how long the vehicle was in the water, we believe it has been submerged for quite some time,” said Const. Markus Anastasiades, Saanich police.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Saanich police at 250-475-4321 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.