A Tesla owner was shocked to find their car vandalized after a quick grocery run. Thankfully, the car's built-in security cameras caught the culprit in the act.
One Reddit user shared the footage on behalf of their friend, the Tesla owner, to warn other electric vehicle drivers. The incident occurred at a Costco parking lot in northern California.
"A guy keyed our Tesla Model 3 for no reason while we parked at the Costco parking lot," the original poster wrote. "Our camera system on the vehicle has recorded the whole process."
In the video, a young man is seen loading groceries into the car parked next to the Tesla. After the man pushes aside his empty shopping cart 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 urged other Redditors to help identify the culprit so that vandals are properly held accountable for their crimes.
"We have already filed a report to the local police department," the Tesla owner wrote. "For people doing things like this for no reason, or maybe just for fun, if we don't hold them accountable, [they] might think it's okay, not a big deal, and next time, your car may get keyed for no reason."
Unfortunately, this incident is one of many EV vandalism cases that have popped up in recent years. A study by the Electric Vehicle Charging Association reported that over 20% of EV charging stations have experienced some form of vandalism, leading to disruptions in charging services.
There are no concrete explanations for why EV vandalism is on the rise. Some theorize that it may be a product of "green backlash," which refers to the negative sentiment against environmental progress. Some states have even banned government investments in sustainability initiatives. Others theorize that intimidatory acts against EVs are simply due to jealousy. Either way, the potential explanations behind these behaviors do not excuse the crimes that occurred.
Reddit users reacted to the incident under the post.
"Of course it's one of those jerks that don't return their cart," someone commented.
"Costco will also ban the member and revoke their membership," another said. "Get a police report as, depending on your state, this could be a felony."
Tesla vandal captured on camera at Costco in Sunnyvale CA
byu/fangpenlin inTeslaModel3
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