Bears will occasionally venture into residential areas in some regions of California. Though, most of the time they’re digging in the trash, taking a dip in someone’s pool, or snacking on someone’s very unlucky garden. Though according to Ruben Tamrazian, Ararat Chirkinian, Vahe Muradkhanyan, and Alfiya Zuckerman, a bear really wanted to destroy their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost during a visit to Lake Arrowhead.
Knowing that the claim sounds unbelievable, the “victims” provided video evidence to their insurance company when they filed the claim. Sure enough, footage shows what appears to be a large bear entering the Rolls Royce and proceeding to wreck shop.
However, something seemed off to the insurance investigators, and it may seem off to you as well if you watch the video closely. Upon closer viewing you can see that isn’t a bear messing up that Rolls Royce but a person in a freakin’ bear suit. No, this isn’t the plot of 1990’s Farrelly brothers comedy. These folks really thought it was a good idea to dress someone up like a bear, damage a six-figure luxury car and try to file a false insurance claim.
Just to be extra sure that it wasn’t some weird new species of bipedal, humanoid-like bear being accidentally discovered, California Department of Insurance (CDI) detectives submitted the footage to a California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist. The biologist found that “it was clearly a human in a bear suit.”
In the execution of what the CDI called—wait for it—Operation Bear Claw, detectives entered the suspect’s home under a search warrant and shockingly found, a bear suit! We already hear you screaming at your screen, “why the hell didn’t they ditch the stupid bear suit?” Well, that’s probably because they used the same suit to file false claims for two other vehicles including a 2022 Mercedes Benz E350 and a 2015 Mercedes Benz C63 AMG. Also, they’re stupid.
In total the CDI says the group defrauded insurance companies to the tune of $141,839. An unbearable number for an equally unbearable crime.
Images and video provided by California Department of Insurance
