Insurance fraud
Californians broke into cars in bear costumes
A quartet from California had a creative, if not very successful, idea to commit fraud. They wanted to fake damage to their cars caused by a bear attack. One of them slipped into an animal costume and broke into luxury cars. However, the investigators were not fooled by the suspects.
This attempted insurance fraud is a good contender for the title of "Stupidest crime of the year". A case of damage to several vehicles was reported at the beginning of 2024, which took place at Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains north-east of Los Angeles, as the authorities have now announced.
"Bear" targeted Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes
A bear with an exquisite taste for luxury cars had invaded a 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost at the beginning of the year. The predator also had its way with a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350.
Expert from animal welfare authority identified attacker
In order to report this animal attack and collect money for the damage, the insurance company was presented with a video showing Master Petz in action during his act of vandalism. "Upon closer examination of the video, it was determined that the bear was in fact a person in a bear costume," a statement from the insurance agency said. A biologist from the Department of Fish and Wildlife was asked for his expertise, who clearly identified the intruder as a human.
Fraudster was equipped with sharp claws
In addition to the brown animal costume, the impostor in the bear fur was also equipped with metal claws, which he used to feign scratch marks. The disguise and the claws were found in the house of one of the suspects, the officers explained.
Four suspects were subsequently arrested - they are between 26 and 39 years old. Charges have been brought against the quartet. The insurance company incurred a loss of $141,839 at the costume party, according to the Department of Insurance.
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