There is a rather unusual twist in the story of a bear that attacked vehicles in California. Authorities now say the 'bear' is actually something else.

The investigation, rightfully dubbed "Operation Bear Claw," found that the four suspects had staged bear attacks inside of their vehicles in a San Bernardino County mountain community in order to receive payouts totaling more than $140,

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.