Police say owner of abandoned SUV with Alberta plates left for China a year ago

This grey Nissan Murano has been parked at the Smith's Marketplace in Los Alamos, NM for about six month. (bigjimnm/Reddit)

Calgary — The mystery of a Nissan Murano with Alberta plates abandoned in a New Mexico market parking lot has become a little less mysterious.

Police in Los Alamos, N.M., say the vehicle's owner left the United States a year ago — in May 2019 — bound for China, and has not re-entered the United States.

Cmdr. Oliver Morris told CTV News the vehicle's male owner lived in Los Alamos from 2017 until early 2019.

The mystery came to light last week through a Reddit post made by a Canadian living in Los Alamos. He said the grey Nissan stood out to him because of the Alberta plates, and he noticed the vehicle hadn't moved for more than six months.

Social media users turned amateur detectives quickly pointed out the the licence plate expired in November 2018, and the November renewal sticker meant the owner's last name would start with a K or a P.

A sticker on the rear of the car, as well as the plate cover, both read Stadium Nissan, which means the car would have been originally purchased at the northwest Calgary dealership.

Calgary police assisted New Mexico authorities, but said there are no outstanding concerns with the vehicle here in Calgary.

Police did not reveal the name of the vehicle's owner to media, as there were no legal or safety concerns involved.

Morris said the vehicle will be released to a regional tow company and it will be released with proper proof of ownership.