California police say the shocking footage of a bear tearing apart a Rolls Royce in January was actually an attempted insurance fraud using a “person in a bear costume.”
Surveillance video of the incident emerged in January outside a home in Lake Arrowhead, California, and appeared to show a bear ripping through the luxury car.
But investigators from the California Department of Insurance (CDI) investigated the claim and determined the footage was inaccurate, ultimately concluding it was not the work of a wild beast at all.
Police discovered two other “bear attacks” allegedly committed on other vehicles in the area, and arrested four men on suspicion of defrauding insurance companies of nearly $142,000.
California police say shocking footage of a bear tearing apart a Rolls Royce in January was actually an attempted insurance fraud using a ‘person in a bear costume’
A search warrant led to the discovery of a bear suit at the suspects’ home, complete with sharp metal claws apparently used to leave scratches found in the vehicles.
The four men, Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, reportedly caught the attention of insurance investigators after a series of claims were linked to them.
Investigators dubbed the investigation into the efforts “Operation Bear Claw,” the researchers said Mercury news.
In the claim in January, the men claimed a bear had climbed into a Rolls Royce and damaged the interior – and submitted images of some of the scratches and dents as evidence.
But when they reviewed footage of the attack, investigators concluded the bear’s mannerisms and movements bore no resemblance to the real thing.
Their suspicions were confirmed when CDI investigators got a second opinion from a California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist, who agreed it was “clearly a human in a bear suit,” the department said.
Ruben Tamrazian, 26, seen during his arrest. He and three others were arrested on suspicion of insurance fraud and conspiracy
Police also arrested Ararat Chirkinian, 39 (left) and Alfiya Zuckerman 39 (right) in the sting, which officials dubbed “Operation Bear Claw.”
The investigation revealed two almost identical claims for different Mercedes, with each claim including images of the ‘bear’ as evidence
The suspects provided images showing claw marks and dents in the interior of the vehicle
Researchers brought in a biologist to investigate the claims, who also concluded it was ‘clearly’ the work of a ‘human in a bear suit’
The investigation then found two nearly identical claims for different cars – a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350 – with other insurance companies, and each claim included images of the ‘bear’ as evidence.
With the assistance of the Glendale Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, authorities executed a search warrant at the suspects’ home.
As seen in footage released by the department, officers discovered a full bear suit inside the property, complete with sharp metal claws apparently used to leave the scratches on the seats.
The four suspects have been arrested on suspicion of insurance fraud and conspiracy.