‘Bear’ damaging cars was actually person in a suit and insurance fraud, officials say – Hartford Courant

By Sierra Van Der Brug, Sydney Barragan, SCNG

Four Los Angeles-area residents were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of insurance fraud and conspiracy after allegedly falsely claiming a bear got into their vehicles and damaged them.

There was no bear, rather, a person in a bear costume was seen in video footage provided with insurance claims.

Dubbed “Operation Bear Claw,” the California Department of Insurance began an investigation after an insurance company suspected fraud when the suspects, residents of Glendale and Valley Village, in January reported a bear had gotten into their Rolls-Royce Ghost in Lake Arrowhead.

Video footage was provided to the insurance company. The footage was reviewed by investigators, who determined the video showed a person in a bear suit. A biologist from the California Department of Wildlife also reviewed the footage, concurring with investigators that the footage “was clearly a human in a bear suit,” according to a news release from the Department of Insurance. After executing a search warrant, detectives found the bear costume in the home of the suspects.

The investigation also revealed two other insurance claims made by the suspects at other insurance companies, citing the same date and location of loss and bear-related circumstances, with different vehicles, a Mercedes G63 AMG and a Mercedes E350.