Dunedin Man Arrested for Fabricating Vehicle Thefts and Defrauding Insurance Company

A 26-year-old Dunedin man was arrested by Pinellas County Sheriff’s Detectives on January 14 for auto insurance fraud.

Joseph Harris allegedly lied about three incidents of vehicle theft, and then falsely reported the burglaries to his insurance company to collect money.  Harris reported that the thefts took place at his home on February 28, 2014, June 12, 2014, and September 30, 2014.

According to a recent news story on TBN Weekly.com, Harris claimed that parts were stolen off his truck, which was parked in his driveway.   However, during a January 14 interview with detectives, the suspect supposedly admitted that he took the parts and buried them in his back yard in order to report them stolen.

Harris said he lied about the thefts because he needed the money.  He was able to collect over $10,000 from his insurance company as a result of his fraudulent activity.

Detectives charged Harris with two counts of false report of a crime, and two counts of defrauding an insurance company.  He was booked into county jail, and released on $4,300 bond on January 15.