Man charged with defrauding insurance company

Nov. 6--Police say a Bloomington man presented an $80,000 claim to his insurance company to cover the loss of items taken in an apartment burglary that likely never happened.

Officers investigating an Aug. 9 burglary reported in the 1200 block of South Fenbrook Lane in The Fields complex were suspicious from the beginning when they noticed that the apartment was "extremely bare," according to an initial report.

The man reporting the crime said he had returned to his apartment after 9 p.m. to find a ground-level window open, his front door unlocked and all of his valuables gone.

Bloomington Police Department Capt. Ryan Pedigo said missing items included kitchen appliances, luggage, electronics and even the food and water bowls for the resident's cat.

Police questioned the man again on Aug. 20 after learning he had filed an $80,000 claim with State Farm Insurance, where he had purchased renter's coverage in July.

A police report in the case said the man exhibited "paranoid behavior" during the interview when he was confronted about conflicting statement to investigators.

He then admitted that his list of stolen items had been "severely embellished," the report said.

He insisted there had been a break-in, and that he decided to "test" his rental insurance policy by inflating the value of his loss.

Pedigo said the man admitted stowing all of his possessions inside his vehicle before calling 911 to report that his apartment had been burgled.

Tang Fei Yee, 26, 1245 S. Fenbrook Lane, was arrested at his apartment at 1:15 a.m. Tuesday. Pedigo said officers could see Yee through a window trying to hide, refusing to open the door.

Yee faces preliminary charges of insurance fraud and making a false statement to police. His bond was set at $5,500.

Contact Laura Lane at 812-331-4362 or llane@heraldt.com.

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