BC man convicted for setting his car on fire, and claiming it

A British Columbia man has been convicted of setting his car on fire and then subsequently making a fraudulent insurance claim, ICBC reports.
Michael David Garcia contacted Quesnel RCMP in October 2008 to report that his black, newer-model Honda Civic had been stolen from his home. He then filed a claim with ICBC, an ICBC release says.
Two days later, he purchased a 2003 Hummer, anticipating a payout for his reportedly stolen vehicle. The Honda was located at a pit area in Quesnel.
“An investigation by the RCMP and ICBC’s special investigations unit uncovered that, prior to making the theft claim, Garcia had attended the Honda dealership in Quesnel to find out what the buyout would be on his 2008 Honda and mentioned that he was considering upgrading to a Hummer,” the release continues. “After Garcia had reported the theft and made the insurance claim, he told ICBC that he had not considered selling or trading the vehicle.”
B.C. Supreme Court convicted Garcia of four criminal charges: public mischief, arson for fraudulent purposes, perjury and fraud over $5,000, the ICBC release adds.
“Insurance fraud is not victimless – it is a serious crime that steals hard-earned money from the overwhelming majority of our honest customers,” said Steve Tripp, manager of ICBC’s special investigations unit. “Our customers don’t deserve to be exploited in this way and we will do everything we can to protect them.”