Insurance fraud arrest is rare

A 35-year-old Seymour man accused of paying an undercover agent to steal his automobile to defraud his insurer faces a possible prison sentence of two to 10 years, police say.

Raymond A. Minton of the 1500 block of Newford Road was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on charges of a Jackson Circuit Court warrant attempted insurance fraud at 2:38 p.m. Tuesday. He posted a $10,000 bond and was released from the jail at 6:52 p.m. Tuesday.

Capt. Carl Lamb with Seymour Police Department said the attempted insurance fraud charge requested against Minton is one he has seen only one other time in his 20-plus years as a police officer.

"It's kind of a unique case," Lamb said.

He added insurance companies and police are aware such incidents happen on a fairly regular basis, but individuals involved in such crimes are hard to catch.

The investigation that led to Minton's arrest began about a month ago when he contacted someone about having his 2005 PT Cruiser stolen, Lamb said.

Minton planned to get enough insurance money to pay off the loan on the car and have money leftover, Lamb said.

"He owed quite a bit on it," Lamb said.

Minton was later introduced to an undercover officer by telephone, and he and the officer talked several times until discussions progressed to the point where Minton said he would pay the officer $400 and let him keep the vehicle once it was taken, Lamb said.

Minton also agreed to leave a pair of latex gloves in the vehicle so the officer would not leave any prints behind, Lamb said.

Minton called the officer and told him the vehicle was parked in the driveway with the keys in it, and the officer took it on April 17. Minton then reported it stolen to his insurance company on April 18, Lamb said.

Minton also completed the paperwork to provide to the insurance company to initiate the benefits process.

Police, however, had already made the company aware of Minton's plans, Lamb said.

"We worked with the special investigations unit of the insurance company, which is located in northern Indiana," Lamb said.