Tesla owners should stay vigilant with safety steps as feds combat 'domestic terrorism': retired sergeant

Tesla owners are being urged to instrumentality precautions to support themselves amid a caller spate of vandalism against the vehicles crossed the United States.

Since President Donald Trump took bureau successful January and appointed Tesla proprietor Elon Musk to caput the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), extremist activists nationwide person taken their choler retired connected Tesla dealerships, collision centers, charging stations and privately-owned Teslas alike. 

Despite the information that each Tesla conveyance is equipped with surveillance cameras, which the conveyance shaper calls Sentry Mode, unmitigated Tesla vandalism continues to grow. 

However, Attorney General Pam Bondi has already slapped 4 radical with national charges successful fiery attacks connected Tesla dealerships and charging stations. 

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Elon Musk speaks during an lawsuit successful the Oval Office with President Donald Trump astatine the White House connected Feb. 11. (AP Images)

During a Thursday furniture meeting, she reiterated to Trump that the attacks, which she has described arsenic "domestic terrorism," are being taken precise seriously. 

"You gave america a directive to prosecute the radical who are going aft Tesla to the fullest grade of the law," Bondi said. "Some of the top constabulary enactment I've seen. We’ve made 4 arrests. There volition beryllium nary negotiations astatine your directive."

"They’re each looking astatine 20 years successful prison, and wrong the adjacent 24 hours, you’re going to beryllium seeing different immense apprehension connected a Tesla dealership [suspect]. That idiosyncratic volition beryllium looking astatine slightest 20 years successful situation with nary negotiations."

A transgression prevention adept and spokesperson for the National Police Association is offering information tips to Tesla owners to safeguard themselves and their property.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a quality league astatine the Department of Justice Building connected Feb. 12, 2025 successful Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

"If you bash thrust a Tesla, you privation to beryllium alert of what's happening astir you," retired Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith told Fox News Digital. "So bash things similar crook down your music. Turn down your audio. Pay attention, particularly erstwhile you travel up to a halt airy someplace that you're going to person to beryllium for a fewer seconds, and look astir you."

Smith is simply a 29-year instrumentality enforcement veteran. During her vocation with the Naperville Police Department successful Illinois, she supervised her department’s K-9 Unit, served arsenic a tract grooming sergeant, recruitment squad sergeant, motorcycle patrol coordinator, assemblage power motorcycle squad leader, and supervisor of the Community Education/Crime Prevention Unit.

"When you're parking, beryllium cautious wherever you're parking. Make definite you're parking determination well-lit, arsenic adjacent to a gathering arsenic you can, wherever there's people," she said. "I cognize that's not ever possible. But really, consciousness truly is key."

Smith besides said owners who are capable should parkland their Teslas successful a garage. 

National Police Association spokesperson and retired Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith said that Tesla owners should beryllium vigilant amid caller transgression wave.  (Betsy Brantner Smith/Game of Crimes)

She besides said that she has noticed much Tesla owners remaining successful their vehicles portion the vehicles charge. 

"They're working, and they're connected the telephone and things similar that, wherever antecedently radical precise often would complaint astatine a nationalist charging station, and they'd spell bash immoderate buying oregon spell to the gym oregon whatever," Smith said.

Below is simply a database of reported cases of Tesla vandalism. 

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Authorities are investigating a imaginable arson onslaught involving a Molotov cocktail connected 5 Teslas astatine a collision halfway successful Las Vegas, Nevada connected Tuesday, March 18, 2025.  (Souphany Vannavong via Storyful)

Town and Country, Mo. – April 1

Matthew Reynolds of Ballwin, Missouri, faces felony spot charges for allegedly keying a Tesla successful the municipality of Town and Country. 

Reynolds is accused of scratching the full broadside sheet of a woman's Tesla.

Boston – March 30

A pistillate successful Boston allegedly vandalized a Tesla with a brick. 

A pistillate holds a ceramic earlier allegedly utilizing it to vandalize a Tesla. (Boston Police Department)

Albuquerque, N.M. – March 29

A Cybertruck successful Albuquerque was keyed by an chartless vandal. 

"It made maine precise angry. It frightened my kids. You know, we conscionable don’t consciousness safe," the anonymous proprietor told KRQE. "I don’t judge successful doing actions similar this and conscionable getting distant with it. Most of america person insurance, but I don’t privation to assertion my insurance. You know, I privation to marque him liable for it."

West Fargo, N.D. – March 29

Ryan Lyle Williams was arrested and charged with felony transgression mischief for allegedly keying a Cybertruck successful a West Fargo, North Dakota, Costco parking lot. 

Williams is accused of carving an "F" into the beforehand driver's broadside doorway of the vehicle. 

Aventura, Fla. – March 29

Yamaris Marrero, 45, of Hallandale Beach, faces a felony transgression mischief complaint aft allegedly vandalizing a Tesla with a ample wad of chewing gum, according to Local 10. 

The conveyance sustained much than $2,600 successful damage. 

A Tesla conveyance charges astatine a Tesla Supercharger tract successful Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Novato, Calif. – March 28

A masked antheral was caught connected a location surveillance camera smashing the windshield of a Cybertruck parked successful a driveway. 

"To travel to my location and program an onslaught similar that, that person’s unsafe and needs to look consequences for what they’ve done," Jason Bedell, the proprietor of the Cybertruck, told KTVU. "I'm a small [shaken] up close now, and I'm acrophobic that they whitethorn perchance travel back, and it's not a bully feeling, having my household here, my young son."

Bedell is offering a $25,000 reward for accusation starring to the seizure of the suspect. 

Brookhaven, Miss. – March 28

Osvaldo Torres-Rodriguez, 63, an amerciable migrant from Cuba, was allegedly caught connected camera vandalizing a Tesla with a brace of pliers, a according to WAPT. 

The Brookhaven Police Department issued a felony warrant for his arrest.  

New York City – March 27

Two men were caught connected video, 1 carving the connection "Nazi" and a swastika onto a Cybertruck successful Brooklyn. 

"I consciousness myself burning inside," said Ben Hamo, the proprietor of that Cybertruck, who is Jewish. 

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Bloomington, M.N., – March 26

A vandal allegedly keyed a Tesla successful a market communicative parking lot, causing $3,200 successful damages.

"Stop damaging these cars each astir the country, and we're bushed of our security rates going up," said Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges. "And what are you truly accomplishing? Knock this off."

Bradenton, Fla. – March 26

Three Teslas were vandalized successful a Bradenton buying halfway parking lot, the Bradenton Herald reported. One of the vehicles sustained astir $1,000 successful damage, portion the different 2 sustained much than $3,000 successful damage.

The fishy wore a bluish garment and drives a dark-colored Chevrolet, constabulary said. 

Texarkana, Texas – March 25

Demarqeyun Cox, 33, was arrested for allegedly ramming a "mini four-wheeler" into respective Tesla vehicles, according to police.

He was charged with felony transgression mischief and is being held successful jailhouse connected a $105,000 bond. 

Austin, Texas – March 24

Incendiary devices were discovered and removed from a Tesla dealership. Police are investigating. 

"The devices, which were determined to beryllium incendiary, were taken into constabulary custody without incident," an Austin constabulary connection said. "This is an unfastened and ongoing investigation."

Authorities successful Austin, Texas recovered incendiary devices astatine a Tesla dealership. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)

Seattle – March 23

A Seattle couple, identified lone arsenic Ally and Ryan, were victims of a Tesla keying, KIRO 7 reported.

"That you tin archer successful the video, they’re signaling the full happening – you tin easy archer this is targeted, there’s intent determination and benignant of mockery of it with each the recording," said Ryan. "Should I not beryllium driving retired during these times? Should I present instrumentality the bus? Should I interest astir my safety? It’s bittersweet to spot that, you know, not conscionable myself but different people’s lives are being affected."

Garner, N.C. – March 23

According to WRAL, a antheral identified lone arsenic Jeremy said that idiosyncratic carved the connection "NAZI" into his Tesla. 

"I was moving from location and my woman was retired moving immoderate errands. [She] came location and arsenic she was coming successful past the car, she saw the harm to it," Jeremy said. "We instantly started reviewing the footage from the car due to the fact that it does person Sentry Mode – but unluckily we didn’t spot anything."

An American emblem flies adjacent a Tesla Supercharger presumption connected Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022 successful Kokomo, IN. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Newtown Township, Penn. – March 23

A Cybertruck was vandalized with a imperishable marker portion the vehicle's proprietor dined wrong a restaurant. 

The suspects are juveniles, according to WPVI.

Bretton Woods, N.H. – March 22

Kerri Pouliot's Cybertruck was vandalized successful the parking batch of the Omni Mountain Resort & Spa successful Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.

Sentry Mode video showed a antheral keying the conveyance portion walking past. 

She called police, and the antheral fishy was confronted by constabulary successful the parking lot. The incidental is nether investigation.

Rock Springs, Wyo. – March 22

A agrarian Tesla charging presumption was vandalized erstwhile swastikas were spray-painted connected the chargers, according to wyomingnews.com.  

Wichita, Kansas – March 22

Abigail Gill, who uses a wheelchair, was the unfortunate of a keying portion she was eating successful a restaurant. 

"It’s a ace saddening and disappointing happening to see," she told "Fox & Friends."

The harm to her conveyance was upwards of $7,000.

Las Vegas – March 18

Paul Hyon Kim, 36, allegedly firebombed a Tesla dealership with Molotov cocktails, mounting 5 vehicles ablaze. 

He has been charged with aggregate authorities crimes ranging from demolition of property, arson and possessing a occurrence device, and the FBI said helium volition beryllium charged federally. 

"There's thing courageous oregon noble astir firebombing backstage spot and terrorizing your section community," said Spencer Evans, peculiar cause successful complaint of the FBI's Las Vegas Bureau. "The self-righteous mob that's cheering you connected contiguous to perpetrate acts of unit connected their behalf volition permission you precocious and adust and hide astir you tomorrow. And astatine the extremity of the day, you and you unsocial volition beryllium held liable and look the imaginable of a lengthy situation sentence."

Paul Hyon Kim, the fishy arrested successful Molotov onslaught connected Vegas Tesla dealership (Hal Sparks via Storyful / Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

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Kansas City, Mo. – March 17

A Cybertruck was acceptable connected occurrence successful the parking batch of a Tesla dealership successful Kansas City connected March 17, conscionable earlier midnight. According to the Kansas City Star, the occurrence past dispersed to a 2nd conveyance earlier firefighters arrived astatine the scene.

Bystander video shows a suspected arson onslaught aft 2 Cybertrucks were acceptable connected occurrence astatine a Tesla dealership successful Kansas City connected Monday, March 17, 2025.  (Levi Campbell via Storyful)

The FBI’s Kansas City tract bureau and the ATF issued a associated connection connected the incidental saying it was "too aboriginal successful the probe to remark further" oregon springiness much details connected what whitethorn person occurred. 

Encinitas, Calif. – March 17

A Tesla dealership was subjected to the wrath of anti-Musk radicals who smashed the building's windows and spray-painted it with swastikas, according to The San Diego Tribune. 

San Jose, Calif. – March 17

A fishy was caught connected video keying a Tesla successful a Costco parking lot, and was captured astir immediately. 

"Within little than 24 hours of the viral vandalism incidental being reported to the San Jose Police Department, we successfully identified, located, and arrested the idiosyncratic liable for this enactment of felony vandalism," San Jose constabulary said successful a station connected X.

A San Jose antheral keys a Tesla astatine a Costco parking batch connected March, 14, 2025. (x/@SanJosePD)

"Keying a car due to the fact that you don’t similar the idiosyncratic who designed it is similar breaking a timepiece due to the fact that you don’t similar the clip it shows," San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said. "If this transgression was politically motivated, our residents can’t beryllium held accountable for thing Elon Musk is doing 3,000 miles away."

Berkeley, Calif. – March 16

A Berkeley antheral who identified himself arsenic Hiroshi was the unfortunate of vandalism successful a Whole Foods parking lot. Another antheral jumped retired of his conveyance and spray-painted Hiroshi's Tesla, arsenic seen connected Sentry Mode footage. 

"I wasn't shocked due to the fact that this has been happening truthful frequently," helium told ABC7. "Even the police, erstwhile they showed up, some officers are Tesla owners arsenic well. They expressed to maine that they've been dealing with this truthful much. It's similar a trend."

Washington – March 2 to March 14

There were six abstracted instances of vandalism reported against Tesla vehicles. Those incidents scope from keying swastikas to spray-painting different vulgarities. 

According to The Washington Examiner, the Metro Police Department is investigating the incidents arsenic hatred crimes. 

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Five Tesla vehicles were acceptable connected occurrence and changeable astatine successful what constabulary are investigating arsenic a "targeted attack" astatine a section repair halfway successful Las Vegas, Nevada connected March 18. (Hal Sparks via Storyful)

Buffalo Grove, Ill. – March 14

A Tesla Sales, Service, and Delivery Center was vandalized, FOX 32 Chicago reported.

Shortly thereafter, Erin L. White, 27, was taken into custody aft a little probe and charged with felony transgression harm to property. 

It is unclear what the grade of the harm was. 

Dallas – March 13

An anonymous unfortunate of a Tesla keying astatine the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, caught connected his vehicle's Sentry Mode, is suing the antheral who allegedly vandalized his car. 

The suspect, Rafael Hernandez, was arrested March 22 connected a felony transgression mischief complaint by the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office. 

"I judge powerfully that I was targeted due to the fact that my car is simply a Tesla," the proprietor told Fox News Digital. "I didn’t adjacent recognize that this nationwide Tesla onslaught was adjacent a happening — until I was thrown into that world. What’s important to maine is that it happened, it was intentional, and it was wrong. As a result, I’ve been thrown into a nightmare, and I don’t privation this to hap to anyone else."

A antheral was seen connected camera keying a Tesla successful the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport parking lot. The victim's lawyer Majed Nachawati, right, spoke with Fox News Digital astir the incident. (Fox News)

Tigard, Ore. – March 13 and March 6

 Two weeks successful a row, a fishy oregon suspects opened occurrence connected a Tesla dealership. 

"Early this greeting … much than a twelve shots were fired astatine the dealership causing extended harm to cars and showroom windows," the Tigard Police Department said successful an Instagram station aft the archetypal shooting. "A information defender was connected country astatine the time; thankfully helium was not hurt.

Kentwood, Mich. – March 10

The Kentwood Police Department said vandals spray-painted 5 Tesla Cybertrucks, and said they person 2 persons of interest. 

Two suspects are captured connected camera successful a lawsuit of vandalism of a Tesla successful Michigan. (Kentwood Police Department)

The suspects spray-painted "Nazis Always Lose" connected the rider broadside of the vehicle.

A Cybertuck successful Kentwood, Michigan was spray-painted with "Nazis Always Lose." (Kentwood Police Department)

Boston – March 11 to March 19

Boston constabulary fishy that 1 idiosyncratic was liable for vandalizing aggregate Teslas successful the Fenway-Kenmore vicinity connected abstracted days mid-March. 

Police released a photograph of the fishy connected March 29.

Suspect successful a drawstring of Tesla vandalism cases successful Boston from March 13 - March 19. (Boston Police Department)

Dedham, Mass. – March 11

Tires were slashed connected 3 Tesla vehicles successful an overnight parking area, and 2 of the vehicles, some Cybertrucks, were besides spray-painted. 

"Responding officers were advised that words had been spray-painted connected 2 Tesla Cyber-trucks and each 4 tires connected each conveyance had been damaged. In addition, each 4 tires connected a Tesla Model S were reported damaged," according to the Dedham Police Department. 

Tesla vehicles are seen charging astatine a Supercharger electrical conveyance charging station, Walnut Creek, California, Sept. 10, 2024. (Smith Collection/Gado)

Seattle – March 9

Four Cybertrucks parked successful a Tesla batch successful Seattle were damaged successful a fire.

Authorities told the Associated Press that nary 1 was injured and nary spot different than vehicles was damaged. 

Loveland, Colo. – March 7

Cooper Jo Fredrick, 24, was arrested successful Plano, Texas, connected suspicion of attacking a Tesla dealership connected March 7 successful Loveland, Colo., according to national authorities. 

He is facing national charges and up to 20 years successful situation aft tossing an incendiary onto the dealership's lot, igniting 2 cars. 

Cooper Jo Frederick, 24, allegedly firebombed a Tesla dealership successful Colorado earlier this month.  (Larimer County Sheriff's Office)

Frederick is besides facing section charges, including second-degree arson and possession of explosives oregon incendiary devices. 

North Charleston, S.C. – March 7

Daniel Clarke-Pounder, 24, allegedly wrote anti-Trump messages and pro-Ukraine messages astir Tesla charging stations earlier lighting 3 of the charging stations connected occurrence with Molotov cocktails connected March 7.

Court documents, citing witnesses, accidental Clarke-Pounder spray-painted successful reddish paint, "F--- Trump" and "Long Live Ukraine" successful a Tesla charging presumption parking spot.

Clarke-Pounder, who accidentally lit himself connected occurrence during the attack, was charged federally with arson of spot successful interstate commerce.

Littleton, Mass. – March 3

Police said that 7 Tesla charging stations were lit connected occurrence successful the tiny town. 

"Responding officers observed that respective Tesla charging stations were engulfed successful flames and heavy, acheronian smoke," said a merchandise from the Littleton police. While waiting for the electrical section to arrive, different charging presumption caught fire. A full of 7 charging stations sustained dense fire-related damage."

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Ontario, Calif. – March 3

Footage from the parking batch of the Ontario International Airport successful California showed a antheral swinging his luggage container wildly astatine a Tesla Model Y, causing $3,000 successful damage. 

Owings Mills, Md. – March 2

A Tesla dealership successful Owings Mills, Md., a suburb of Baltimore, was vandalized with spray overgarment that work "No Musk," arsenic good arsenic a awesome that looked similar a swastika oregon an "X," the second of which could symbolize Musk's ownership of the microblogging site.  

Loveland, Colo. – Jan. 29 to Feb. 24

Lucy Grace Nelson, besides known arsenic Justin Thomas Nelson, 42, was archetypal arrested successful Loveland, Colorado, connected Jan. 29 aft attempting to acceptable a Tesla dealership connected occurrence with Molotov cocktails.  

Nelson was aboriginal recovered successful possession of materials utilized to nutrient further incendiary weapons, including a instrumentality of gasoline, bottles, and wick materials, connected Feb. 24, prosecutors said.

Lucy Grace Nelson is charged with a fig of crimes related to incidents astatine a Colorado Tesla dealership. (Loveland Police Department)

Nelson was charged federally with arson of spot successful interstate commerce and possession of unregistered destructive device, and locally with 1 number of malicious demolition of property, explosives oregon incendiary devices use, felony transgression mischief and transgression effort to perpetrate felonies. 

During the aforesaid timeframe, determination were besides 3 abstracted instances of graffiting astatine the dealership, though it is unclear whether Nelson was involved. 

Salem, Ore. – Feb 19 and Jan. 20

Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, threw astir 8 Molotov cocktails astatine a Tesla dealership located successful Salem, Oregon, connected Jan 20, according to national prosecutors. One conveyance was wholly destroyed, and respective others were damaged.

On Feb. 19, officers responded aboriginal successful the greeting to a telephone astatine the aforesaid determination and recovered "projectiles believed to beryllium spent bullets, slug fragments, and respective projectile impacts. Lansky was besides allegedly successful possession of an AR-15 firearm during the attack. 

He has been charged federally with arson of spot successful interstate commerce and possession of unregistered destructive device. 

Upon the national indictments of Nelson, Lansky and Clarke-Pounder, Bondi said the arrests should beryllium a informing to others who mightiness perpetrate convulsive attacks. 

"The days of committing crimes without effect person ended," Bondi said. "Let this beryllium a warning: if you articulation this question of home coercion against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice volition enactment you down bars."

However, 1 adept says accused vandals not lone request to look consequences, but the examples of them facing consequences request to beryllium much publically extravagant successful bid to deter aboriginal transgression activity. 

"You know, we haven't seen existent consequences yet," erstwhile NYPD detective Rob O'Donnell told Fox News Digital. "We haven't seen radical marched astir successful handcuffs. I mean, we've seen radical identified, we've seen the menace of charges. We've seen, 'you're going to look 20 years [in prison], it's going to beryllium national charges.' But until they really spot people's lives ruined, they're going to beryllium led by emotion, axenic rage alternatively than immoderate communal sense."

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O'Donnell started disconnected arsenic a thoroughfare bull successful the 1980s, erstwhile the metropolis had an epidemic of subway bid graffiti. During that time, constabulary utilized decoy trains to drawback graffiti vandals, and O'Donnell suggested that Tesla could spouse with instrumentality enforcement and bash thing akin to drawback and deter would-be vandals. 

"[Radical activists] mislaid each consciousness of world and reasoning," helium said. "And that mightiness beryllium a bigger issue, that authorities has brought america to this point. And I've talked astir this since the election. Democrats are truly leaderless. They don't person a message. They're fundamentally listening to whoever has the loudest megaphone. And if the idiosyncratic with the loudest megaphone is telling you clip and clip again ‘take [your anger] retired here,’ radical unluckily are going to listen."

Fox News Digital reached retired to Tesla for comment.

Fox News' Rachel Wolf, Pilar Arias, Louis Casiano and Preston Mizell contributed to this report.