Tesla records woman keying car in Charlotte park, police report filed

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Tesla owner Michael McEown just wants to know why a woman felt the need to key his car at a public park in Charlotte.

McEown, a Concord resident, said he was playing tennis at a Sugar Creek Community Park off Sugar Creek Road back in early July. He had driven his white Tesla Model 3 to the park.

After finishing up his match on the tennis courts, McEown said he returned to his vehicle and found it had been scratched while he was playing.

“I had noticed a big, long dark scratch, or dark kind of mark across the full length of my car which I had to check out and see how I got that mark,” explained McEown.

Because his vehicle has several built-in cameras, McEown was able to review his video footage and see how the mark was created. Video from the Tesla shows a woman brush by the car with her tennis bag and then walk by once more and intentionally scratch the car. McEown said he does not know the woman and had no interaction with her on the tennis courts.

CAUGHT ON CAM! A woman decides to key a @Tesla at a park in Charlotte - she doesn’t realize the car is recording her every move! The Tesla owner tells me he just wants to know why she felt the need to do this. Story at 11 on @WBTV_News #Tesla pic.twitter.com/A4qpXONbDG
— Alex Giles WBTV (@AlexGilesNews) October 15, 2019

“No physical interaction, no words exchanged, nothing like that. I don’t even know how she would know I was the owner of the vehicle. She may not even have known that. I don’t know,” said McEown.

He has not been able to figure out why his car was targeted. He said he doesn’t even think he was parked too close to the woman’s vehicle.

“I was trying to figure out, did I park too close? That’s kind of the only reason I could come up with, but it didn’t look like I was too close. Honestly, I don’t know why and that’s kind of what I’m seeking. I’d like to know ‘why’,” explained McEown.

The Tesla owner said that within 10 minutes of his car being scratched, another man was recorded tugging on the vehicle’s doors. The footage of this incident has also been saved.

McEown has filed two separate police reports about the incidents that happened on that July morning.

He’s hoping that sharing his story will serve as a warning for other potential thieves and vandals.

Help me understand why. This Chevy Malibu(I think?) was parked here before I arrived. This is at Sugar Creek Community Park in Charlotte, NC. This woman came from the tennis courts where I was playing a match. I saw her practicing on her own 3 courts away from me. I never had any interaction with her, and I don't know if she even knew who the owner of my car was. I'm assuming it's random hate. I noticed a long dark scratch (from her duffel bag dragging the length of my car). Then spotted the scratch from her keying after viewing dash cam video. Bonus video: Same day, different villain. Someone attempted to break in to cars at the same location. Everything was reported to Charlotte Metro PD. They've been great, but can't ID this vandal. Damage was a 4 inch scratch on driver's side rear door. The duffel bag marks wiped off. For licensing or usage, contact licensing@viralhog.com
Posted by Michael McEown on Thursday, October 10, 2019

“I’m hoping that maybe people learn that the cameras on these vehicles are going to maybe, hopefully prevent further incidents,” said McEown.

If you recognize either of the people seen in the Tesla surveillance clips, please contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Tipsters can remain anonymous.