He used toilet paper to burn a tram to defraud his insurance and claimed 450,000 yuan in compensation by claiming that it spontaneously ignited. The couple involved in the case were both sentenced.

The People's Court of Yanjiang District, Ziyang City, Sichuan Province issued a first-instance verdict on a case of insurance fraud involving a pure electric SUV that "spontaneously ignited". The lovers involved in the case, Ai and Li, were both given suspended punishment for committing insurance fraud.In August last year, the Yanjiang District Public Security Bureau received a report from the insurance company. After investigation, it was found that the pure electric SUV involved "spontaneously ignited" on the Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway on June 9 of the same year. However, third-party testing found gasoline residue in the front cabin.

The police obtained traffic records and found that after the car entered the expressway from Anyue North, it got off the expressway at Danshan Town, Yanjiang District, and "fired" shortly after re-entering. The owner of the car voluntarily withdrew the report after learning that the insurance company might call the police.

Third-party testing finally confirmed that the fire was caused by the burning of flammable oil products, ruling out factors such as vehicle failure and battery loss of control.

The investigation showed that Ai and Li, who are in their 30s, are a couple. In January 2024, the two purchased an imported pure electric second-hand car with an original price of 700,000 yuan for 200,000 yuan, which was registered under Li's name.

On June 7 of the same year, the two premeditated to defraud the insurance company. In the early morning of the 9th, they worked together in an underground parking lot in Anyue. They used tape to stick toilet paper posts to plastic bags containing gasoline, ignited the toilet paper posts to form a smoldering fire, and then closed the hood.

Because the initial ignition did not ignite the gasoline, Ai re-ignited the vehicle when it got off the highway. About 10 minutes after entering the highway again, the vehicle was ignited. The two subsequently claimed a compensation of 450,000 yuan.

On September 1 last year, the two were criminally detained. In the end, Ai was sentenced to 1 year and 10 months in prison, suspended for 2 years and 6 months, and fined 50,000 yuan; Li was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison, suspended for 1 year and 6 months, and fined 20,000 yuan.