Here’s a little modern justice story, courtesy of Tesla’s ever-watchful eyes.
Over the weekend in a Los Gatos parking lot, a vandal learned the hard way that messing with a Tesla isn’t as easy as it looks. While most cars might sit quietly and take the damage, Teslas? They fight back — in their own techy way.
It all unfolded on a quiet Saturday afternoon, when a Model Y owner returned to their parked car and found a nasty surprise: deep scratches along the passenger side and what looked like a deliberate keying near the door handle. But instead of calling it a mystery, the Tesla owner knew exactly what to do — check the Sentry Mode footage.
For those not familiar, Sentry Mode is Tesla’s built-in surveillance feature. The car’s external cameras — yes, the same ones used for Autopilot and parking — turn into a high-def security system when the vehicle is parked. It records anyone who comes too close for comfort.
And in this case, it didn’t just record — it nailed it.
The footage clearly showed a man walking suspiciously close to the Tesla, glancing around, then swiftly taking a key or sharp object and dragging it along the paint. It was quick. It was sneaky. But not sneaky enough. Every angle was captured in crystal-clear detail, including his face and his license plate as he walked away and got into his own car parked just two rows away.
The Tesla owner filed a report with the Los Gatos Police Department, handed over the footage, and within 24 hours, authorities confirmed they had identified the suspect. An investigation is now underway, and charges could be filed soon.
Locals in the area are buzzing about the incident, especially in Tesla groups and neighborhood forums. “I always thought Sentry Mode was just a cool feature, but now I see it’s like having a personal security guard in the car,” said one Tesla driver from San Jose.
This isn’t the first time Sentry Mode has helped solve a mystery or catch a suspect red-handed, but it’s another clear win for smart technology. In an era where dashcams are common, Tesla takes things a step further — giving car owners a bit more peace of mind, and perhaps making would-be vandals think twice.
As for the Model Y? It’s heading to the body shop. And the owner? They're hoping justice gets served — and maybe investing in a bumper sticker that says, “Smile, you’re on Tesla cam.”
Moral of the story? Don’t mess with a Tesla. It’s always watching.