SACRAMENTO, California — Four Californians allegedly used a bear costume to damage their luxury vehicles and claim insurance payouts, California officials announced Wednesday. State Insurance Department officials said they had investigated claims that a ...

Before getting busted, officials say the suspects defrauded three different insurance companies out of more than $140,000.

Four people from Los Angeles County are facing insurance fraud and conspiracy charges after allegedly staging fake bear attacks with a bear costume.

Once upon a time in Southern California, a person wore a bear costume to damage luxury cars so friends could allegedly cash in on hefty insurance payouts.

Four Los Angeles residents were arrested for an insurance fraud scheme after they claimed a bear damaged their vehicles—but video showed it was a person in a bear costume. The California Department of Insurance said the four men claimed on Jan.

Four individuals were arrested Wednesday for allegedly attempting to defraud their insurance companies by claiming a bear had damaged their vehicles -- when in fact it was a person in a bear costume attacking the cars.

Investigators accused four suspects of staging bear attacks using a costume to damage vehicles in a San Bernardino County mountain community in order to receive payouts totaling more than $140,000.

Video was submitted to the insurance company that alleged to show the animal enter the car in Lake Arrowhead, but officials said it was a person in a bear suit.

Four Los Angeles area residents were arrested after allegedly staging fake bear attacks to defraud insurance companies, using a bear costume to claim damages to luxury vehicles.