Watch These Idiots Use Bear Costume To Scam Insurance Money

We have all seen every sort of insurance scams, but this one involves a bear costume and 4 not so bright people. We can only assume they were desperate for money , because this idea smacks of desperation.

These scammers thought they had come up with genius idea that sounds more like an idea that was cooked up over one too many beers. Always remember, what sounds like a great idea on paper, should stay on paper and never carried out.

Four people in L.A. are facing insurance fraud charges after claiming a bear got into their 2010 Rolls-Royce and destroyed it.  

They claimed it happened in January during a trip to Lake Arrowhead.  (About 75 miles east of L.A.)  And they had security footage to back it up, but that footage is what did them in.

Even though it's from a distance, you can tell it's obviously somebody in a bear COSTUME.

Officials launched an investigation called "Operation Bear Claw."  They looped in a biologist at the California Department of Wildlife, who watched the video and told them it was "clearly a human in a bear suit." 

The scratch marks in the car also looked weird and too evenly spaced.  It turned out they'd used metal claws meant for shredding meat.  Officials found the bear suit and the claws in one of the suspects' homes.  

As dumb as the plan was, it turned out they'd actually pulled it off TWICE before with two other cars, both Mercedes.  Together, the fraudulent claims netted them just over $140,000.  (!!!)

Two of the suspects are 39, one is 32, and the other is 26.  They're all facing charges for conspiracy and insurance fraud. 

Next time these guys decide to cook up a bright idea, they should think twice, because their wacky ideas probably won’t “ bear out”

(ABC News)

Last weekend's massive snow storm that dumped up to 18 inches of the white stuff in a few Massachusetts towns was a good reminder that you should be prepared for the big one. That's why we have put together the 5 Essential Things You Should Have In Your Car To Survive A Nor'Easter.

We were lucky that the storm took place on Saturday and Sunday as opposed to a weekday event that would have potentially caught people commuting in their cars. If you are old enough to remember the Blizzard of 1978, then you know how huge it was and it caught a lot of people by surprise.

Sure back in '78 the meteorological world was not as advanced as today. There was only one local weatherman back then that had a good read on what was going to happen. His name? Harvey Leonard, the living legend. He was certain that it would be a snow event like no other and was spot on.

Vehicles were stuck and stranded on Routes 128, 93, 95 and dozens of other highways and byways. People were trapped in their cars, some for days and sadly there were those that lost their lives.

Of course weather forecasting has come a long way since then. There was no such thing as Doppler Radar Weather that all of our local television station use and there's been so much help from computer models. The chances of being caught by surprise are a lot less now.

If in the unlikely event that you do get caught in a major snow storm and are unable to move your car you have to be prepared for what could be a very scary situation. Experts have told us what we should always have in our car (or trunk) to be able to handle being stranded. They are all common sense items but, we have a tendency to either forget or take it too lightly.

We should have a mini first aid kit in our vehicles regardless of the season. It's smart and a very non expensive item to keep handy. You can grab one in most big stores or places like CVS and Walmart. You can also find good kits online. Leave it in your trunk and you will be ready if needed.

These tools are small and easy to keep around. I personally keep one in my glove compartment at all times. I can't say how many times I have used it over the years for things you wouldn't imagine. They are reasonably priced and you don't need a brand name or something too fancy. You want one with a knife, scissors, file and even a corkscew.

If you're stuck in your car in a blizzard you will not be able to continue running it because you want to preserve as much fuel as you can. A nice thick blanket will help do the trick. Get a qood quality blanket that you can wrap around yourself and keep that precious heat in. You can store in the backseat or the trunk.

Every vehicle needs a good flashlight, don't rely on your phone's you want a strong halogen type that can light up the night in case you're trapped after dark. Plus you will want to preserve your phone's battery for communication reasons.

Number one is the good old fashioned snow shovel. You can pick up a small handle snow shovel in most automotive stores that can be placed in the trunk and left there. A good shovel might be just what you need to dig yourself out of trouble.