A Tesla owner was shocked to find his car destroyed after a quick shopping trip. Luckily, the car's built-in surveillance cameras caught the perpetrator in the act.
A Reddit user shared the footage on behalf of his Tesla owner friend to warn other electric vehicle drivers. The incident occurred in a Costco parking lot in Northern California.
“A man activated our Tesla Model 3 for no reason while we were parked in the Costco parking lot,” the original poster reads. “Our camera system on the vehicle recorded the entire process.”
In the video, a young man can be seen loading groceries into the car parked next to the Tesla. After the man pushes his empty shopping cart aside on the curb, he presses a metal bracelet against the passenger side of the Tesla, leaving a deep scratch. The man then returns to his car to flee the scene.
The Tesla owner called on other Redditors to help identify the perpetrator so that vandals are properly held accountable for their crimes.
“We have already filed a report with the local police,” the Tesla owner wrote. “For people who do things like this for no reason or maybe just for fun, if we don't hold them accountable, [they] You might think it’s fine, no big deal, and next time your car might be keyed for no reason.”
Unfortunately, this incident is one of many cases of electric vehicle vandalism that have emerged in recent years. A study by the Electric Vehicle Charging Association found that over 20% of electric vehicle charging stations experienced vandalism, resulting in disruptions to charging services.
There are no concrete explanations as to why electric vehicle vandalism is increasing. Some suggest it may be a product of a “green backlash,” which refers to negative sentiment toward environmental progress. Some states have even banned government investment in sustainability initiatives. Others believe that intimidating actions toward electric vehicles are simply due to jealousy. However, the possible explanations for these behaviors do not excuse the crimes committed.
Reddit users responded to the incident under the post.
“Of course he’s one of those idiots who won’t return their cart,” someone commented.
“Costco will also suspend the member and revoke their membership,” said another. “Get a police report as this could be a criminal offense depending on your state.”
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