A California court sentenced three defendants to prison and probation in an unusual insurance fraud case. They used a person dressed in a fake bear suit to scratch the seats of Rolls-Royce and Mercedes cars, aiming for compensation exceeding 4.8 million baht. They were ultimately caught because experts noted the "bear's" movements were too human-like.
The California Department of Insurance announced progress in the unusual fraud case code-named “Operation Bear Claw.” Recently, the court convicted two men and one woman from Los Angeles on felony insurance fraud charges.
This incident occurred in 2024 when the suspects filed insurance claims with several companies totaling nearly 142,000 U.S. dollars (approximately 4.53 million baht). They claimed that luxury vehicles—one Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes-Benz cars—were damaged by wild bears while parked in the San Bernardino Mountains.
The suspects submitted CCTV footage showing a bear-like creature clawing and scratching deep marks into car seats and door panels. However, when insurance companies provided the evidence to investigators and biologists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for examination, experts confirmed that "the creature in the video was definitely a person wearing a bear costume."
Authorities later executed a search warrant at the suspects' residence and discovered a "brown bear suit" along with steel claw tools used to create scratch marks. This became key evidence that compelled the suspects to admit guilt.
The three defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced to weekend jail confinement along with probation. Two of them were ordered to pay over 50,000 U.S. dollars (about 1.6 million baht) in restitution to the insurance companies. A fourth suspect is scheduled for a court hearing in September.
Bear intrusions into homes or rummaging through trash for food are common issues in California, from the Lake Tahoe area to Los Angeles suburbs. Bears are often reported opening refrigerators or swimming in backyard pools. However, in this case, natural bear activity was exploited to commit a crime, leading to the suspects' arrest.
."Source"Associated Press