‘Clearly a human in a bear suit’

Officials arrested four people in California this week after state investigators said they committed insurance fraud by claiming an animal had damaged their vehicles when it was actually someone wearing a bear costume.

Los Angeles-area residents Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, are each charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy in connection with the reported scam, the state Department of Insurance announced.

The state agency’s investigation began after an insurance company suspected fraud earlier this year, according to a news release.

The suspects told their insurance company that a bear got into their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost and caused interior damage to the vehicle on Jan. 28 in Lake Arrowhead, an unincorporated community in the San Bernardino Mountains, the release said.

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‘The alleged bear’ in the vehicle

The suspects also gave video recordings to the insurance company, which showed “the alleged bear” in the vehicle, according to the news release.

“Upon further examination of the video, the investigation determined that the bear was in fact a person in a bear costume,” the department wrote.

State biologist determined it was ‘clearly a human in a bear suit’

Detectives found two more insurance claims with two different insurance companies, from the suspects with the same date of loss and same location, the release continues. Each claim involved two vehicles, a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350, and the suspects also allegedly used a bear costume to make it look like a bear came in and damaged those vehicles as well.

They also reportedly provided video footage to the other insurance companies in connection with their claims.

To prove it wasn’t actually a bear in the video, the state agency had a California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist review three “bear videos.” The biologist, investigators reported, determined it was “clearly a human in a bear suit.”

Detectives then obtained a search warrant and during a search of the suspect’s home, found a bear suit.

Officials arrested all four suspects Wednesday, according to the release.

The insurance companies lost nearly $142,000 due to fraud allegedly perpetrated by the suspects.

The Glendale Police Department and the California Highway Patrol assisted the state Department of Insurance in the case, officials said.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office jail records did not have the suspects listed online Thursday. Their pending court dates were not yet listed online for San Bernardino County.

It is not immediately known whether the suspects had lawyers.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her at X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Person used bear costume to fake car damage, California officials say