Fraud unmasked: Bear costume plot foiled in California
American authorities have arrested four individuals suspected of staging a bear attack on their vehicles to defraud insurance companies. As investigators determined in "Operation Bear Claw," the damage was caused by a person dressed as a bear, not an actual animal.
The incident occurred in the mountain town of Lake Arrowhead, near Los Angeles. Three men and one woman filed similar insurance claims in January 2024 after the alleged bear broke into their cars and destroyed the interiors, including a Rolls-Royce and a Mercedes.
Questionable recording
Insurers received a video recording from the accused, showing an animal crawling towards the cars and entering them. Additionally, they presented photos showing regular scratches on the seats and the inner sides of the doors, which were claimed to be the result of bear claws.
After a thorough analysis of the evidence, investigators concluded that the recording does not show a real animal, but a person in a bear costume. This was also confirmed by a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Law enforcement also released a photo of the costume used during the staged attack.
It was calculated that the suspects—three men and one woman—attempted to defraud the insurance companies of nearly 142 thousand dollars (approximately 200 thousand CAD).
