Violent ‘carjacking’ never happened in insurance fraud plot, California cops say

A 911 call reporting a violent carjacking by two men armed with knives turned out to be made up, California sheriff’s officials said.

The call to the Madera County Sheriff’s Office at 8 a.m. May 23 was part of an insurance fraud scheme, deputies said in a Wednesday, May 28, news release.

A woman reported that her van, filled with $60,000 in fitness clothing, waist trainers and supplements bound for a swap meet, had been stolen, deputies said.

She said she stopped to adjust a shifting load when two masked men approached her with knives and drove off in her van, deputies said.

Deputies found the “stolen” van and in a follow-up interview the woman admitted the carjacking never happened, the sheriff’s office said.

She said the false report was part of an insurance fraud scheme organized by her boyfriend, deputies said.

Deputies later found the “missing” merchandise in a storage unit in Merced, sheriff’s officials said.

The 57-year-old Vallejo woman faces charges of insurance fraud, conspiracy and filing a false police report, sheriff’s officials said. Her boyfriend also may face charges.

Madera County is about a 40-mile drive north from Fresno.