Glass
Guys Auto Glass Owner Indicted for Theft and Insurance Fraud
The owner of The Glass Guys Auto Glass Co. in Chandler, Ariz.,
has been arrested for nine counts of theft, one count of fraud and
one count of insurance fraud, according to a statement from the
Arizona Attorney General's office. Bruce T. Riley, 41, was actually
indicted in July 2007, but could not be located. Last Friday, though,
the chase came to a halt, when the Chandler Police Department stopped
him for a routine traffic stopand realized they'd been looking
for him.
Riley is alleged to have submitted hundreds of fraudulent insurance
claims involving auto glass repairs and replacements between August
2001 and July 2005. The Fraud Unit investigators for the Arizona
Department of Insurance (ADI) allege that he collected more than
$100,000 in fraudulent funds, which he is alleged to have used personally.
The Attorney General's office claims Riley billed insurers for
auto glass repairs and replacements that were never done. He also
is accused of posing as the insured to call in fraudulent glass
claims to insurance companies.
In addition, the ADI alleges that Riley filed claims using insurance
policy information he obtained from records of prior service on
insureds' vehicles. Alleged losses to insurance companies are estimated
at more than $117,000, the ADI reports.
Insurance department fraud unit chief Terry Cooper says this isn't
the first charge of this type he's encountered.
"There have been numerous convictions for insurance fraud involving
automobile glass repairs and replacements," he says. "In many instances,
victims didn't even know they had claims filed against their insurance
policies after their insurance information was stolen from their
vehicles by staff at car washes or mechanic shops."
This isn't Riley's first arrest, either. On April 28, 2005, he
was arrested on similar charges (felony charges of forgery, identity
theft and fraudulent schemes). (CLICK
HERE for related story - scroll to page 5.)
Nearly ten years ago, Riley was convicted of driving under the
influence in the same court in which he is now being indicted, and
eventually received a sentence of probation, from which he was discharged
in 2002, according to court records.
Riley is currently in Maricopa County Jail.
CLICK
HERE for full text of statement from the Arizona Attorney General's
office.
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