Authorities were baffled by a series of supposed “bear attacks” on luxury cars in California earlier this year.
There were deep claw marks on the interiors of the vehicles and even video evidence of the alleged beast doing damage. However, investigators soon realized that the “bear attacks” were not what they seemed.
The three insurance companies claimed they were defrauded of $141,839 because of the alleged insurance-fraud scheme.
An insurance claim was made regarding an alleged “bear attack” on a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost on Jan. 28 in Lake Arrowhead — an unincorporated community in the San Bernardino mountains. The reported animal was said to have caused interior damage to the vehicle.
The California Department of Insurance said in a statement that there were two other insurance claims on the same date of loss and in the same location. The “bear” was said to have attacked a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350.
This raised eyebrows with insurance officials.
The people who made the claims included surveillance video of the alleged “bear” attacks.
Investigators reviewed the videos and noticed the bear looked rather peculiar.
The California Department of Insurance asked a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to review the three alleged “bear attack” videos — and the biologist quickly got to the bottom of it.
“Upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume,” the California Department of Insurance wrote.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant, and detectives found the bear costume in one of the suspect’s homes. The bear costume included metal claws that reportedly were used to damage the luxury cars.
The California Department of Insurance, the Glendale Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol ascertained that four suspects were involved in the alleged insurance fraud scam.
Police arrested Ruben Tamrazian — a 26-year-old from Glendale; Ararat Chirkinian — a 39-year-old from Glendale; Vahe Muradkhanyan — a 32-year-old from Glendale; and Alfiya Zuckerman — a 39-year-old from Valley Village. All four suspects have been charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy.
The three insurance companies claimed they were defrauded of $141,839 over the alleged scheme.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
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