Ronnie Bennett thought he was being smooth when he dropped his car off for repairs at a mechanic, then decided to report the car stolen and collect a claim payment. Instead of facing a few hundred dollars in repairs, however, Bennett now faces the prospect of posting $60,000 in bail after allegedly committing insurance fraud and filing a false police report.
According to California Department of Insurance (CDI) investigators, in November 2008 Bennett drove his 1999 Cadillac Catera to a repair shop to have it inspected due to mechanical problems. The owner of the shop inspected the vehicle and found that it required expensive repairs. According to a release from CDI, Bennett allegedly returned to the shop a few weeks later and filled out an invoice for his vehicle. CDI authorities said that instead of providing his real name on the invoice, Bennett allegedly wrote the name "Butch Johnson," and included an address that does not exist.
Meanwhile, CDI said that one week later, Bennett allegedly filed a police report with the El Cajon Police Department, reporting that his vehicle had been stolen from his residence. He also filed an insurance claim. A few weeks later, CDI said his insurance company issued a check for $3,574 to Bennett for the vehicle.
But things soon unraveled. The owner of the repair shop had been repeatedly calling Bennett in an attempt to have him pick up his vehicle or pay a deposit to begin repairs — but Bennett was reportedly non-responsive. When the shop owner initiated a lien sale on the vehicle, he learned it had been reported stolen. DMV investigators recovered the vehicle at the repair shop in February 2009 and contacted the Department of Insurance upon finding the vehicle, and CDI immediately launched an investigation leading to the arrest.
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