A man accused of keying a Tesla in Hingham is seen in footage from the vehicle’s onboard security system.
A man accused of vandalizing a Tesla parked in Hingham, Massachusetts, last week has been identified by police.
The suspect was caught on camera keying a Tesla Model Y on April 1 while it was parked at the Derby Street Shops. The video showed a driver parking in a space near the Tesla and walking by with an item in his hand to scratch the vehicle. The damage went along the driver's side front and rear doors and rear quarter of the vehicle.
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WATCH HEREThe footage came from the vehicle's onboard security system, which the owner told police he'd activated because of a recent increase in Tesla vandalism.
The suspect was identified as a 50-year-old Weymouth man. He will be summonsed to Hingham District Court on the charge of vandalizing/defacing property. His name was not released because he has not been arrested or arraigned.
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SIGN UP Vandalism of Tesla vehicles, charging stations and dealerships has been on the rise across the country in recent months, leading the FBI to launch a task force to investigate. Incidents have been reported locally, including in Peabody, Brookline, Littleton and Dedham.
Meanwhile anti-Tesla protests, critical of CEO Elon Musk's work with the U.S. government, have also been held across the country. Two people were injured by a vehicle at one such protest last month in Watertown.
