A Tesla Model 3 owner has shared a concerning discovery after finding new damage to his two-month-old car — and the video footage that suggests it wasn’t an accident. Posting to Reddit’s r/TeslaModel3, one user said a “group of guys threw rocks” at both his car and home.
“I was able to confront them and found where they live. I have made a police report and we’re able to get their information,” he wrote.
The post included close-up photos showing dents, scuff marks, and handprints on the car’s white paint and driver’s window. The Tesla owner explained that Tesla’s Sentry Mode, which records nearby motion, began overwriting key footage before he could save it — leading him to ask the community for help recovering the files.
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
The owner also shared that it wasn’t the first time his car was targeted, and that he was the person who “posted a guy punching [his] Tesla a month ago.”
“It’s strange how these events have happened in such a short period of time,” he wrote, adding that his neighborhood is “filled with Teslas.”
Other Tesla users encouraged him to secure the footage and pursue charges. Some speculated that growing resentment toward electric vehicles could be part of the problem.
“I’m starting to realize people don’t love Teslas,” the original poster admitted, describing tense moments with other drivers.
Similar reports suggest this trend isn’t isolated. Incidents of Tesla vandalism have risen in recent years, with some linked to backlash over Elon Musk’s increasing political visibility. According to the Guardian, the FBI even formed a task force after dealerships, charging stations, and private Teslas were repeatedly targeted amid heightened polarization around Musk’s public statements.
Acts like these can discourage potential EV owners and slow the shift away from dirty energy. While critics point to battery production and mining as environmental concerns, research shows that even the least efficient EVs are still cleaner than gas cars. And although the clean energy transition requires mining for minerals, we still extract billions of tons of fossil fuels each year — the very issue that EVs aim to solve.
Multiple commenters supported the Tesla owner, expressing their sympathy and sharing potential solutions.
“SICK VANDALISM!” exclaimed one commenter.
“Sorry you’re dealing with all of that … remove the drive immediately before the footage is gone,” said another.
“Don’t wimp out on prosecution, seek full restitution,” warned a third.
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