A fresh wave of anti-Elon Musk sentiment in California appears to have spilled into vandalism again, with Irvine police investigating a suspect accused of spray-painting 13 Tesla vehicles — and authorities say the damage may not be over.
The Irvine Police Department said the first incident happened around 10:30 p.m. last Friday in a parking structure near Michelson Drive and Carlson Avenue, where surveillance footage allegedly captured a man defacing a Tesla with spray paint.
Detectives say the same suspect later came back to that garage and allegedly targeted nine additional Teslas, raising the number of damaged vehicles to 13 over the span of the week.
Police are now turning to the public for help identifying the man believed to be responsible.
The case comes as Tesla’s reputation has shifted sharply in some of California’s more liberal communities, where owning the once-celebrated electric vehicle is no longer viewed by everyone as a straightforward symbol of environmental commitment.
Some Tesla owners have tried to separate themselves from Musk politically by adding anti-Musk bumper stickers to their cars, including messages such as “I bought this before Elon went crazy” and “Anti-Elon Tesla Club,” signaling that they support the vehicle but not necessarily the billionaire behind the brand.
That distancing has reached beyond everyday drivers and into California’s political class.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie have both turned to Rivian vehicles as Tesla’s image has grown more controversial among many Democratic voters, particularly amid Musk’s close ties to President Trump.
Not only are Teslas getting actively targeted in the Golden State, but Musk and his primary automotive venture are also absorbing a massive financial beating on Wall Street as of late.
Tesla just suffered its worst week since the 2020 pandemic with an 18% crash, while Musk watched a staggering $650 billion of his personal fortune evaporate in just five weeks.
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