Surveillance footage of a taco truck robbery in Tulare County earlier this month that authorities suspect may actually be insurance fraud. Photo via TCSO

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office arrested the owner of a taco truck on Monday on suspicion of setting fire to his own truck in an attempt to get insurance.

Officers were originally called to a robbery of a taco truck near West Caldwell Avenue in Visalia on Aug. 2. The sheriff’s office said owner Pablo Serrano told them the suspects stole cash and his $80,000 Sabor Latino taco truck during the robbery, which was caught on surveillance video.

According to the sheriff’s office, detectives found the stolen truck engulfed in flames in an orchard near Woodlake. In addition to the truck being a total loss, the orchard sustained more than $10,000 in damage.

“In the days following the robbery and arson, detectives found evidence that Serrano had staged the robbery with his friends in order to file an insurance claim on the $80,000 truck,” the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office reported on social media. “The day after the robbery, Serrano filed an insurance claim on his burned-out vehicle.”

Serrano and a suspect named Juan Mendez were arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and arson. Serrano is also charged with insurance fraud. Another suspect is still being sought for questioning.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at 1-800-808-0488 or anonymously at [email protected] or via text or voicemail at 559-725-4194.

Efforts to locate Serrano for comment were unsuccessful Monday afternoon.