Video footage depicts an arsonist igniting paper and putting it below the wheel arch of one of many Tesla Mannequin Ys that was subsequently set ablaze
San Francisco authorities are investigating two incidents through which a pair of Tesla Mannequin Y autos caught fireplace inside a span of simply two blocks early Saturday morning. Footage of one of many incidents reveals an unidentified particular person lighting what seems to be paper on fireplace and putting it atop one of many electrical crossover’s tires, resulting in an intense blaze.
The Mannequin Y, whose arsonist was caught on digital camera, was positioned on Shipley Avenue, whereas the opposite car was located on Bonifacio Avenue. The proprietor of the primary Tesla, Van Vuong, resides in Seattle, Washington. He was in San Francisco for the weekend visiting his sons at dentistry college when the fireplace occurred, he informed SFGate. He didn’t study of the fireplace till he went out to take it for a drive later that morning and located solely ashes.
“We walked by it, considering, ‘Oh my God, look what occurred right here,’” Vuong mentioned. “It didn’t take lengthy earlier than I spotted, ‘Shoot, the place’s my automobile?’”
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Learn: Crowd Burns Down Waymo Robotaxi In San Francisco
Arsonist units 2 @Tesla Mannequin Y’s, 1 blk aside, on fireplace in SF SOMA early Saturday morning. Unique video of man lighting papers he placed on high of tire. Sped up vid reveals flames destroy SUV. Proprietor asks why goal Tesla. @KPIXtv story w/ vid & interview: pic.twitter.com/4ZLOJVdnZd
— Da Lin (@DaKPIX) February 26, 2024
Unable to achieve the San Francisco Police Division by means of its non-emergency line, he was pressured to bike to the station to search out out what occurred to his car. He expressed shock, stating that he had anticipated his automobile to be protected regardless of being parked on the road in a single day.
In the meantime, the proprietor of the second Mannequin Y that caught fireplace final weekend, who recognized himself to the information website merely as Chris, said that his car was parked in a neighborhood usually thought of protected. Based on The San Francisco Chronicle, he lives within the space and found the fireplace when he couldn’t find his EV as he was making ready to run errands along with his spouse and seven-month-old youngster.
“We didn’t even hear any sirens or explosions final night time when it occurred, so we had been fully stunned once we couldn’t discover our automobile,” the 33-year outdated informed the newspaper. “First thought was perhaps I parked some other place, then second thought was perhaps somebody stole it, then noticed the ashes.”
Though no footage of the fireplace that burned Chris’s Tesla has but emerged, police informed him that they’re searching for surveillance video from close by buildings, and imagine that he could have additionally been the sufferer of arson.
Thus far, no motive for one or a pair of arsonists to focus on Tesla Mannequin Y EVs particularly has emerged. Nonetheless, these incidents comply with one other fireplace that engulfed a Waymo autonomous check car within the metropolis two weeks in the past. It’s value noting that the Waymo fireplace was set by a crowd of individuals, although.
