Tesla camera helps catch crook keying cars in the street

A vandal has been caught keying a string of expensive cars – including an £85,000 Mercedes – lining the streets close to the seafront in Bournemouth.

Neighbours have hit out after being left hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds out of pocket following the spate of ‘completely senseless’ attacks last Wednesday, July 17.

Footage taken from a Tesla whose onboard security cameras were switched on while parked on sentry mode show him him scraping the side of a Renault car.

The man, wearing a black t-shirt with blue Bermuda shorts adorned with pink flamingos, can then be seen walking onto a private driveway to do the same to a black Mercedes 4×4.

As he walks past the grey coloured Tesla he uses the edge of his key to make a 2ft long scratch on the driver’s side door.

After the Tesla owner uploaded the shocking footage to social media, other cars owners came forward to report their cars being damaged.

So far there have been reports of up to 10 cars being vandalised in several streets in the Westbourne area.

A glance at the locations on Sandbourne Road, Branksome Dene Road and Westbourne Park Road suggest the attacks could have been carried out on his way home from the beach.

The moment a callous vandal keys cars parked in a residential street has been caught by a Tesla’s onboard cameras (Picture: BNPS)

The man the walks towards the Tesla, keys in hand, unaware that he is being picked up by the cameras fitted to the car (Picture: BNPS)

The victims say they are baffled as to what drove the young man to carry out the act.

The Tesla owner, who did not want to be named, said: ‘I don’t usually have the sentry mode on because it runs the battery down but on this occasion I did.

‘When I got back to the car at 7.15pm I noticed it had been badly scratched down the full width of the driver’s door. I got a sentry alert and saw the footage from 2.21pm.

‘You could clearly see the same guy had keyed two other cars before doing mine. I spoke to other people on the road and they hadn’t realised their cars had been damaged.

‘I have no idea why he has done it, it is quite random.

‘Had he stolen the car and taken it for a joyride, there would have been some logic to it but it just seems completely senseless.

‘It is probably going to cost £800 to repair so nobody has gained anything from it.’

The man was recorded nonchalantly walking down the road in posh Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset, going from one car to another (Picture: BNPS)

Vicki Townsend’s Ford Focus was also targeted.

The 40-year-old said: ‘When I went out at about 3.30pm I noticed an eight inch scratch along the driver’s side door.

‘Then I saw all the other reports on social media and realised I was part of it. He has done so much damage to so many cars for no rhyme nor reason.

‘Some of the cars were parked on the road and some were on driveways. I don’t know who this guy is but I would like to have a word with him.’

Local resident Ursula Piovanelli said: ‘I saw four cars keyed in our road while walking my dog, it seems he is choosing the more expensive cars, as skips the smaller less expensive ones. Hope he gets caught.’

Dorset police have been approached for comment.

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