Man accused of breaking car window after filing insurance claim Thursday, August 21, 2008
SCHENECTADY — A city man who filed an insurance claim for a broken car window was charged Tuesday with smashing the window himself after an insurance adjuster found no damage. Investigators from the Frauds Bureau of the state Insurance Department said Mark Davis, 49, of 1588 Van Vranken Ave., filed a claim with the State Farm Insurance Co. in May, reporting that someone had smashed the rear window of his 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Davis then submitted an affidavit to the company claiming the car was vandalized, along with a $3,298 repair estimate. An insurance adjuster inspected the car and found the window intact, investigators said, so the insurance company contacted Davis, who insisted the window was broken. He asked that the adjuster return to take another look, investigators said, and this time, the adjuster found the window had been smashed. Witnesses told investigators that Davis broke the window before the adjuster's second visit, investigators said. Davis was charged with insurance fraud and falsifying business records and was released pending a court appearance Wednesday.