The story covers an alleged vandalism spree in Irvine where a 25-year-old man is accused of spray-painting 13 Teslas over two nights, how police tracked him down, the impact on victims, and the broader pattern of attacks on Tesla property tied to anger at Elon Musk.
Max Sebastian Solomon, 25, was arrested after two nights of damage to parked cars in an Irvine garage near Michelson Drive and Carlson Avenue. Police booked him on suspicion of felony vandalism after surveillance footage showed a man shaking a spray-paint can and covering his face with his shirt before painting on vehicles.
The first incident was reported around 10:30 PM on July 17, when four Teslas were hit in one garage. Less than a week later, police say nine more were damaged in a second attack at the same plaza, bringing the total to 13 cars affected by the alleged graffiti campaign.
Officers say Solomon targeted the cars because of his feelings toward the company rather than the owners. Irvine police spokesman Kyle Oldoerp summarized the motive plainly:
“My understanding is, he just does not like Tesla,” Oldoerp said. “So, he has personal beliefs or feelings towards that company and took that aggression out by committing this vandalism.”
The victims were strangers who happened to own the brand of car the suspect chose to damage, leaving ordinary people to deal with unexpected harm. One owner could not drive his Tesla for several days while he searched for someone able to remove the paint, and a professional ultimately cleaned the car for free after learning what happened.
That same owner admitted his first reaction was to wonder if he was personally targeted, then realized the message was broader. He said, “My first thought was like hey is this directed at me personally? But quickly became apparent that that wasn’t the case so I mean that’s good, but terrible that so many people were impacted.”
Incidents like this show how political or cultural anger can spill over onto innocent bystanders and private property. Dealerships have been smashed, charging stations set on fire, and private cars keyed or defaced in similar episodes, with owners left to shoulder consequences they did not cause.
The pattern intensified after Elon Musk became more visible in national debates, and attacks on Tesla-branded property have continued. What unites these crimes is that the damage lands on individual owners and local workers rather than the executives or leaders being protested.
Investigators say the suspect was identified after a separate incident where a man allegedly spat on a Tesla at an intersection, and an officer remembered the restaurant takeout bag he carried. That detail led police to trace an order and find Solomon, who was arrested at his apartment across the street from one of the garages.
Solomon is presumed innocent as he faces felony vandalism charges for the alleged anti-Tesla campaign that damaged 13 private cars. Meanwhile, the victims deal with paint removal, missed days of use, and the sense of being pulled into someone else’s grievance without cause.
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