4 California residents had been arrested earlier this week after an investigation revealed that they had used a mascot-style bear go well with to raid three luxurious autos in an effort to acquire a six-figure insurance coverage declare.
The California Division of Insurance coverage launched an investigation it dubbed “Operation Bear Claw” after a suspicious insurance coverage declare was filed on Jan 28 in Lake Arrowhead, an upscale group within the San Bernardino Mountains, for a 2010 Rolls Royce, based on a Nov. 13 press launch. The proprietor claimed {that a} bear had entered the car and wreaked havoc with its claws on its inside.
They even submitted safety digicam footage to the insurance coverage company as a part of the declare. The CDI posted the video on-line, which exhibits the “bear” opening the passenger aspect door of the car earlier than crawling into the entrance seat, swaying round in an try to appear bear-like, after which climbing into the again seat to indicate a distinctly un-bearlike tail to the digicam.
“Upon additional scrutiny of the video, the investigation decided the bear was truly an individual in a bear costume,” the division mentioned in an announcement.
Investigators found the suspects filed two different insurance coverage claims with different corporations for 2 completely different autos, a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350. The claims had the identical location and date of loss. Identical to with the Rolls Royce declare, the suspects had supplied the insurance coverage corporations with video from a safety digicam. That footage additionally confirmed an individual in a bear costume opening a door and crawling round contained in the car in a show that was so absurd that it appeared like a Saturday Night time Reside skit.
Whereas it doesn’t take a wildlife biologist to inform the individual within the video positively isn’t a bear, the division submitted the proof to the California Division of Fish and Wildlife for evaluate. Upon watching the footage, a CDFW biologist identified that “it was clearly a human in a bear go well with,” per the assertion.
Detectives executed a search warrant for the residence and found a bear costume, full with a furry head, paws, and metallic claws that had been used to puncture and scratch the seats, sprint, and doorways of the luxurious autos.
Picture by CDI
The CDI has recognized 4 individuals concerned within the costumed conspiracy — Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, of Valley Village. All have been arrested and charged with insurance coverage fraud and conspiracy. Suspects filed three allegedly fraudulent claims that price insurance coverage corporations $141,839. The Glendale Police Division and the California Freeway Patrol assisted with the investigation. The case has been referred to the San Bernardino County District Lawyer’s Workplace for prosecution.
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The San Bernardino Mountains are house to a big inhabitants of actual black bears. In April, a rise in bear sightings prompted California State Parks to situation an alert for campers at San Bernardino County campgrounds, warning them of potential bear run-ins. This incident additionally follows one other high-profile crime involving a bear impersonation, wherein a Tennessee man allegedly staged a homicide and blamed it on a bear.