Auto Body Shop Workers Arrested In Bay Area Insurance Fraud Sting

An automobile insurance fraud sting operation led to the arrest of four people, including three from Contra Costa County, officials said Friday.

The undercover sting was conducted by the California Department of Insurance, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

In one instance, employees at a repair shop allegedly provided undercover officers with falsified written documentation to support fraudulent insurance claims.

In another, an undercover officer was coached by body shop workers "on telling a phony story to the insurance company, including allegedly telling the undercover officer to lie about when and how the vehicle damage occurred," California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in a news release.