CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Tesla owner is crediting his car’s technology for catching a suspected vandal in the act. Caught on camera, you can see a woman scratch the side of his Model 3 Tesla parked at Sugar Creek Community park back in July.
Owner Mike McEwon said he paid a visit to the park that day to play a tennis match. When he returned to his car he found a large black streak across the side and a scratch mark.
McEwon said he turned to his car’s surveillance video to find out what happened.
On camera, he saw a woman drag her duffle bag across the car then return to scratch the car door. The woman later drove off in what appears to be a black Chevy Malibu.
“I thought why?” McEwon said. “That’s the only question I have, why would someone do it?”
McEwon told NBC Charlotte he did not know the woman in the video, but only saw her playing tennis a few courts away from him. They had never interacted.
This case of vandalism wasn’t the only thing captured on camera that day. Just 10 minutes before, the Tesla cameras also recorded an unknown man tugging at the car door handles.
McEwon said he’s thankful for the technology that allows him to catch these incidents as they happen. He’s also hoping it may make people think twice.
“I’m hoping that people learn there’s cameras on these vehicles that will prevent future incidents,” McEwon said.
Anyone with information that might help police identify the woman in the video is asked to call CMPD.