FAIRFIELD — A car believed to have been repossessed by a bank earlier this month turned out actually to have been stolen, according to police.

Fairfield Police Chief Tom Gould said a 2011 maroon Nissan Altima was taken from a driveway on Crane Drive. The car had been signed back over to the bank, and the owner cleaned it out and left the keys under the car for the bank.

The car was last seen on Jan. 12, but Gould said the bank recently called the former owner to see where the vehicle was. It was then determined the car had been stolen. Gould said he did not believe the vehicle had license plates on it.

The name of the vehicle’s former owner is not being released, Gould said, because at the time of the theft he did not own it anymore.

“When the car disappeared (the owner) thought the bank had come to get it,” Gould said, adding the man “didn’t think anything of it.”

There are no suspects at this time, but the theft remains under investigation. Gould said Fairfield does not experience all that many car thefts, usually just two or three a year. Normally the vehicles are recovered shortly thereafter, he said.

“It’s not totally unheard of, but it certainly stands out,” Gould said.

Colin Ellis — 861-9253

cellis@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @colinoellis