<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Three people in the </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="" title="US"><span>US</span></a><span> state of </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/california" rel="" target="" title="California"><span>California</span></a><span> have been sentenced for insurance </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/fraud" rel="" target="" title="fraud"><span>fraud</span></a><span> in a bizarre scam that involved someone dressed in a </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/animals" rel="" target="" title="bear"><span>bear</span></a><span> costume damaging luxury cars. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The California Insurance Department said the three used a person in a bear suit to stage fake attacks inside a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes in 2024, then submitted fraudulent claims seeking nearly $142,000 in payouts from insurance companies. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The department called it "Operation Bear Claw".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/melton-melbourne-boy-seven-killed-after-being-hit-by-car-driven-by-neighbour-near-melbourne/e87ff8a4-ffad-4676-9e17-be5ffcf3771d"><strong><span>Tragedy strikes boy playing on scooter</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span> </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two Los Angeles-area men and a woman pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud and were sentenced to a weekend jail program, followed by probation, the department said in a news release on Thursday. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two of them were ordered to pay more than $US50,000 ($70,000) in restitution. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/california-bear-suit-luxury-car-scam-ends-in-insurance-fraud-sentences-for-trio/8a4fa47f-1d89-46ae-8aa2-2060619652e6" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A fourth person faces a court hearing in September. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The group is accused of providing several videos from the San Bernardino Mountains of a bear moving inside the vehicles to the insurance companies as part of their damage claims, the department said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Photos provided by the insurance department show what appeared to be scratches on the seats and doors. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist reviewed the footage and concluded it was "clearly a human in a bear suit", the insurance department said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/lake-macquarie-alleged-murder-mother/66875b27-ecdc-4885-83df-760287290514"><strong><span>Son accused of killing mum before calling cops</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/two-people-charged-over-sydney-gangland-shootings/ddbca82b-b02a-4d6c-975b-0d99f6b5f71a" rel="" target="" title=""><strong><span>Gangland violence erupts, then cops respond</span></strong></a><span> </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After executing a search warrant, detectives found the bear costume in the suspects' home, the department said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bears breaking into homes or trash cans in search of food have become a problem in California from Lake Tahoe in the Sierra down to the foothill suburbs of Los Angeles, where some have been known to raid refrigerators and take dips in backyard pools and hot tubs. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: </span></strong></em><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via </span></strong></em><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span> and </span></strong></em><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em></em></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by </span></strong></em><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a><em></em></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to </span></strong></em><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a><em></em></li></ul></div></div>