Insurers allege bear that damaged luxury cars was actually a person in a costume

California has seen its share of bears breaking into cars – but bears caught on camera entering luxury cars tipped off insurers that something was not quite right.

In what has been dubbed Operation Bear Claw, the California Insurance Department said four Los Angeles residents were arrested on Wednesday, accused of defrauding three insurance companies out of nearly 142,000 dollars (£111,800) by claiming a bear had caused damage to their vehicles.