Tesla owners in Austin are on high alert after a man was caught on video slashing the tires of several vehicles, including one owned by local resident Rafid Ali.
The attack was captured by Tesla's Sentry Mode security system, which showed a man dressed in all black walking up to the car, stabbing the tire with a knife, and then calmly driving away.
Ali told FOX7, "I got a warning like, 'Please pull over immediately, your tires are flat,' and I was like, 'What? I just replaced the tires literally a week ago.'" After checking his vehicle's camera, he saw the shocking footage.
"He walks over to my car, looks directly into the camera, stabs the tire with a knife, and just drives off," Ali said. The suspect's face was fully visible in the recording.
Ali shared the video on Reddit, where another Tesla owner, Heather Eliason, recognized the man. Her tires had also been slashed recently.
After reviewing her vehicle's footage, she saw what appeared to be the same suspect. The two victims are now working with the Austin Police Department (APD) to help identify the man.
Man caught on camera slashing Tesla tires in East Austinhttps://t.co/ec37NkFHCH
— johnnyk2000 (@johnnyk20001) July 25, 2025
Tesla Targeted Again as Vandalism Linked to Anti-Musk Sentiment
This isn't the first time Tesla vehicles have been targeted. Across the country, other vandalism incidents have been linked to growing public anger toward Tesla CEO Elon Musk, especially after his brief role in government during former President Donald Trump's second term.
Critics of Musk's involvement have reportedly used vandalism as a way to express their opposition.
In a separate but similar case, a 70-year-old man named Frantz Brandt was arrested last week in Miami's Little Haiti.
He was charged with criminal mischief after being caught on Tesla's camera scratching a large "X" into the hood of a Model 3 with a box cutter, CBS News said.
The car's owner, James Lipari, said the repair bill from Tesla came to more than $1,200 because three panels had to be repainted to match.
Lipari had been testing the Sentry Pro app when he got the alert. "It gives you a push notification if Sentry is activated," he said.
Back in Austin, police are reviewing security footage and working with local residents to find the suspect.
Both Ali and Eliason hope that sharing the footage will help bring attention to the issue—and eventually lead to an arrest.
"Whoever's doing this needs to be held responsible," said Ali. "This isn't just a prank—it's destruction."
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