Imagine returning to your car after a quiet night at a hotel, only to find it deliberately damaged by a stranger.
That's exactly what one Tesla owner said happened in a Reddit post that sparked some outrage and concern in the Tesla Model 3 subreddit.
The electric vehicle owner shared a photo of their Tesla Model 3 with a cord hanging out of the front of the vehicle.
"Someone cut the cable from the front of my car," the author captioned the post.
"I parked in a private hotel parking garage last night and someone (caught on Sentry) cut this from the car," they continued. "Why would someone do this? Would they have a purpose for this piece and what is the impact regarding driving the car this week?"
The piece, according to commenters, helps power the motor that opens the front trunk — called the "frunk" among Tesla owners. Users suggested that the thief was either trying to steal something from the frunk or wanted the piece for themselves.
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This type of situation is often not just a case of petty vandalism, as there has been a discouraging trend targeting electric vehicle owners, especially in shared spaces like hotel garages and public charging stations and even more so against Teslas over the last year.
That's a problem, because moving to EVs, which pollute less than traditional cars, is one of the best ways we can bring down the temperature of our overheating planet.
A severed cable can mean expensive repairs, travel delays, and growing concerns about safety and accessibility.
Thankfully, this particular theft did not affect the user's ability to use their car. Still, incidents like this highlight a social barrier: the need to foster respect and support for climate solutions in our communities.
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Chargers not working 🚫 The original user updated the comments section after finding the culprit and determining it was actually not likely a case of anti-EV or anti-Tesla sentiment driving this action.
"The hotel security found clear footage of the individual and them leaving their license plate," they said. "Their own car was a Highland grey Model 3 and was missing that little piece, so it seems he thought it was a better idea to commit a crime than to pay $15 on Amazon."
One user observed the strangeness of the situation: "Buys a $40k+ new car. Can't afford a $15 part. WTF."
"I had someone steal that piece last year as well, and I'm still confused," another added. "It was very strange — they clearly knew what they were doing. They covered their face from cameras, went right for that piece, etc. Tesla support replaced it for free (it's like $15 normally, I believe) but he was equally confused. My best guess is that theirs was somehow damaged and they wanted a replacement."
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