Driver Hung Upside Down in Vehicle Overnight

A Kirkland driver was found this morning hanging upside down in his vehicle overnight after a high speed chase.

Police say they witnessed the driver run a red light and then fled police reaching speeds over 100 MPH. The driver flipped the car and crashed traveling on I-405.

Police believe alcohol was a factor.


Thank you to KIRO.

Insurance Fraud on the Rise, Costing Everyone Higher Premiums

The National Insurance Crime Bureau found a sharp increase in "questionable insurance claims" with the current economy. Insurance fraud is costing Northwest Households about $300 per year in higher premiums.

Seattle NICB investigator, Scott Wagner, says so far this year vehicle arson is up 27% nationwide. In many cases, he's found that vehicle owners are behind on their payments so they torch it and call it stolen. "The car ends up burning and the insurance company ends up finding out that they're four months behind on their payments," said Wagner.

In another example, Wagner shows a surveillance video of a woman pulling her S.U.V. into a Seattle restaurant parking lot. The video seems innocent enough, until she walks away from her car - forever. "She parked her car, set her alarm and then left and reported it stolen," said Wagner.

According to the NICB, in the first quarter of this year compared to the first quarter of last year, vehicle owner give-ups are up 24 percent.

Darrin Sanger with the Northwest Insurance Council calls insurance fraud a crime against everyone. He says that's because in the end all of us pay in the form of higher premiums. "When someone commits insurance fraud they're not just stealing from insurance companies," said Sanger, "They're stealing from fellow customers."

A recent study from the NICB shows property/casualty insurance fraud costs Americans nearly $30 billion each year.

The Northwest Insurance Council offers a reward for citizens who help investigators track down people who've committed insurance fraud.


Thank you to King5.com

The Economy is Down, And Theft is Up

According to a recent study by Javelin Strategy & Research, the number of identity theft cases increased 22 percent in 2008 to 9.9 million.

Some key findings from the study:

• 2008 was the first year that the number of cases increased since Javelin began tracking ID theft in 2003.
  
  
• Crimes of opportunity, such as stolen wallets, represented 43 percent of cases, compared to 33 percent in 2007, indicating an increase in the desperation of criminals.
  
  
• Women were 26 percent more likely to be victims of identity theft, reporting a higher incidence of lost or stolen information during purchases in stores.
  
  
• The survey showed that only 11 percent of cases involved online access.

Thank you to Safeco Insurance Company