Incidents of Tesla vandalism continue to surface, and this time it was a Cybertruck owner in North Carolina who captured the entire incident on Sentry Mode, quickly leading directly to an arrest.
According to the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, a 67-year-old woman, Karen Lewis, has been charged with misdemeanor damage to property after using a board embedded with nails to scratch a Cybertruck. The incident took place in Collettsville Sunday, where the vehicle’s owner had parked at a local area before heading out for a bike ride.
What makes this case particularly notable is how quickly it was resolved thanks to footage from Sentry Mode. Deputies say the Cybertruck’s onboard cameras captured the suspect in the act, providing clear evidence that led to Lewis being identified and arrested within 24 hours.
She was taken into custody, with officials confirming, “She was placed in the Caldwell County Detention Center under a $1000.00 secured bond.” She has since been released.
Here's the Sentry Mode footage of 67-year old Karen Lewis vandalizing a Cybertruck with a board and nails.
— Drive Tesla 🇨🇦 (@DriveTeslaca) March 19, 2026
She then placed the board under the front tire, presumably hoping it would be driven over. She also placed an aluminum sign under another tire, because?
She has since been… pic.twitter.com/BI6O5TK36n
The owner, Jason Hooper, also noted that he had never met Lewis prior to the incident, and authorities have not indicated any clear motive behind the alleged vandalism.
Hooper said he returned to his vehicle and was shocked by what he witnessed.
“I just couldn’t believe it was actually happening,” Hooper said. “We had all the craziness with Teslas when Elon was part of DOGE and all that stuff, but I thought we had kind of gotten past that, and I had made it through unscathed. It was just kind of just shocking.” (via WSOC)
For Tesla owners, it’s another reminder of the benefits of remembering to turn on Sentry Mode. And for would-be vandals, it’s a warning—there’s a good chance the car is watching.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with the Sentry Mode footage.
