California is no stranger to bears raiding trash cans and even cars, but the latest bear-related incident involves not wild animals but a case of alleged fraud according to reports from APnews. Watch the video below.
Four Los Angeles residents were arrested on Wednesday after authorities accused them of defrauding multiple insurance companies out of nearly $142,000, claiming that a bear had caused extensive damage to their luxury vehicles.
Dubbed “Operation Bear Claw” by the California Insurance Department, the investigation revealed a scheme as elaborate as it was unusual.
The group reportedly submitted footage showing what appeared to be a bear inside a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes, claiming the animal had damaged the interiors.
Photographic evidence presented alongside the video footage showed scratches on seats and doors, damage that the suspects attributed to an intrusive bear. However, the insurance company reviewing the Rolls-Royce footage became suspicious, suggesting that the supposed bear might actually be someone in a costume.
To verify the footage, the Insurance Department consulted a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The expert reviewed the videos and concluded that it was “clearly a human in a bear suit” rather than a wild animal.
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Following the discovery, detectives executed a search warrant at the suspects’ home, uncovering the bear costume allegedly used in the fraudulent claims.
In addition to the Rolls-Royce claim, authorities identified two similar insurance claims involving the same group and two other Mercedes vehicles. Each claim provided similar footage of the “bear” inside the vehicles, leading investigators to connect the cases as part of a coordinated scheme.
With bears increasingly known to break into California homes, raid refrigerators, and even take dips in backyard pools, the suspects seemingly aimed to use this wildlife pattern to their advantage.
However, the staged footage raised enough red flags to launch an investigation, ultimately resulting in the arrests.
As the suspects await potential court proceedings, it remains unclear whether they have retained legal representation.
Watch The Video Below.
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