Detectives with the California Department of Insurance's (CDI) fraud division arrested three Sacramento-area residents December 5 and are seeking three others accused of filing false insurance claims totaling nearly $100,000.

According to CDI, for more than a year, the six suspects  filed  more than 1,000 false insurance claims for windshield chip repairs to several insurance companies.   It is believed, the suspects were initially a part of  a legitimate auto glass repair business, but according to the investigation, the suspects began keeping their customers' policy information and later  filed additional fraudulent claims on those policies without the policyholders' knowledge or permission.

"This is stealing from insurance companies and stealing identities," said Alan Barcelona, president of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association  (CSLEA).  CSLEA represents CDI investigators and nearly 7,000 other law enforcement, public safety and consumer protection professionals who work for the State of California.  "It may be a good idea for policy holders in the Sacramento area to check their claim history to determine if their policy fell victim to this criminal act."

Arrested were:

• Aaron Bonner, 30, Sacramento (photo-center)
• Bonita Clayborn, 39, Sacramento (photo-left)
• Atlakea Scott, 36, Sacramento (photo-right)
• Suspects not yet in custody are:
• Felisha Blackmon, 24, Sacramento
• Darryl Cartwright, 48, Carmichael
• David Ludd Jr., 25, Sacramento

Each face 7 felony charges of:

Grand theft (1)

Unlawfully possessing the identification of ten or more persons (1)

False personation of another (1)

Unlawful use of personal identifying information (1)

Fraudulent transfer of identifying information (1)

Presenting a false/fraudulent insurance claim (2)