Insurance fraud? Bear attacking vehicles believed to be person in costume

Los Angeles, Calif. – Bears Caught in Luxury Cars Fraud Scheme

Bears breaking into cars may be a common sight in California, but a recent incident involving bears entering luxury vehicles has raised suspicions among insurers. The California Insurance Department revealed that four individuals from Los Angeles were arrested for allegedly defrauding three insurance companies of nearly $142,000 by falsely claiming that bears had caused damage to their vehicles.

The scheme, known as “Operation Bear Claw,” involved the group providing video footage from the San Bernardino Mountains showing a bear purportedly inside a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes. The footage, which included scratches on the seats and doors, was used as evidence to support their damage claims.

However, one of the insurance companies reviewing the video of the Rolls-Royce suspected that the bear was actually a person in a bear costume. This suspicion led detectives to uncover two additional claims with different insurance companies, all featuring similar video evidence of a “bear” inside the Mercedes vehicles.

Following an investigation, a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that the videos showed a “human in a bear suit,” rather than an actual bear. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at the suspects’ residence, where the bear costume was discovered.

It remains unclear whether the four individuals have legal representation at this time. The incident highlights the growing issue of bears causing havoc in California, from breaking into homes and trash cans in search of food to now being involved in fraudulent insurance claims.