In January, a security camera captured unnerving footage: what appeared to be a bear had forced its way into a Rolls Royce parked outside a home in the Southern California resort community of Lake Arrowhead, gouged the seats and thrashed the interior.

Four people have been charged with insurance fraud for claiming that their cars were trashed by a bear — which was actually someone in a bear costume, officials said Wednesday.

Investigators accused four suspects of staging bear attacks using a costume to damage vehicles in a San Bernardino County mountain community in order to receive payouts totaling more than $140,000.

Four people from Los Angeles County are facing insurance fraud and conspiracy charges after allegedly staging fake bear attacks with a bear costume.

Four people were arrested for alleged insurance fraud after they said a bear had damaged their cars. Investigators discovered the "bear" was just a man in a bear suit. (Credit: California Department o