A Takeout Bag Helped Police Identify The Man Accused Of Vandalizing Teslas

A Southern California man has been arrested aft allegedly spray-painting much than a twelve Teslas pinch words including "Nazi" and "fascist" successful Irvine, constabulary said.

Max Sebastian Solomon, 25, was booked into jailhouse Tuesday connected felony vandalism charges.

Investigators said they identified Solomon aft he allegedly spat astatine a Tesla stopped astatine a reddish light. Surveillance footage from that incident was matched pinch video of nan vandalism, and constabulary said a takeout container he was carrying, which displayed his name, helped place him.

"He was crossing nan roadway, a Tesla was astatine nan limit line, he spit astatine that vehicle, and successful that case, he was carrying a takeout bag," Irvine constabulary spokesperson Kyle Oldoerp told ABC Los Angeles.

"My knowing is, he conscionable does not for illustration Tesla," Oldoerp added. "He has individual beliefs aliases feelings toward that institution and took that aggression retired by committing this vandalism."

Police said nan vandalism spree began July 17, erstwhile 4 Teslas were defaced successful a parking car shed adjacent a Planet Fitness. After further incidents were reported, investigators released surveillance images of nan fishy connected societal media connected July 24 earlier making nan arrest.

Tesla vehicles person been targeted successful vandalism incidents crossed nan U.S. pursuing CEO Elon Musk's salient domiciled successful President Donald Trump's administration, wherever he led nan Department of Government Efficiency.

One Tesla proprietor said they initially feared they had been personally targeted earlier realizing aggregate vehicles had been vandalized.

"My first thought was, 'Is this directed astatine maine personally?' But it quickly became evident that that wasn't nan case," nan proprietor told ABC Los Angeles.

Another proprietor told CBS Los Angeles their conveyance had been caught successful nan "crossfire" of a "bigger movement," while different said they had to thrust pinch nan graffiti still connected nan car until they recovered a institution that could safely region it.

"I dream he gets nan thief he needs," 1 unfortunate said. "He's intelligibly very disgruntled and a confused individual, truthful hopefully they recovered him and each this tin extremity arsenic soon arsenic possible."