Four Los Angeles residents scammed their way into trouble with the law.
According to reports, four individuals were arrested last Wednesday (Nov. 13) for their involvement in a car break-in scheme dubbed 'Operation Bear Claw.' The group, consisting of Glendale residents Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, of Valley Village, are accused of defrauding $142,000 from their insurance companies after claiming a bear vandalized their vehicles.
Provided to the insurance companies was video footage recorded from the San Bernardino Mountains in January, which showed the "bear" damaging the interior of a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes. Photos of the incidents also showed scratches on the car seats and doors. However, upon closer inspection, the insurance company evaluating the Rolls-Royce video deduced that the bear was someone in a costume. Similar footage was provided from the Mercedes vehicles, both of which had the same loss date at the same location.
The department sought the expertise of a biologist with California's Department of Fish and Wildlife, who surmised that it was "clearly a human in a bear suit." Following the execution of a search warrant, a bear costume was found in one of the suspects' homes.
"The suspects claimed on January 28, 2024, in Lake Arrowhead, a bear entered their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost and caused interior damage to the vehicle," the department said in a statement. "They provided video footage to their insurance company, which showed the alleged bear in the vehicle. Upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume."
While bears aren't strangers to the Southern California area, the consequences of car insurance schemes are serious, as misdemeanors can lead to fines, probation, or jail time.