Vehicle owner baffled after discovering 'bizarre' crime that occurred in broad daylight: 'Awful'

In Reddit's unofficial Tesla Support community, r/TeslaSupport, one Tesla owner sought advice after something utterly strange happened to them.

"My wife drove the car to work and we realized that, while the car was parked, someone stole the rear passenger exterior trim and replaced it with the 'gold' one in the photo," they wrote. "Not too sure what the motivation was but either way, we would like to get it fixed." 

In the photo, one corner of the rear window is seen with gold trim — a stark contrast from the sleek black trim on the rest of the car. 

Everyone was left scratching their heads over what one commenter described as the "wild" issue.

"This is one of the most bizarre thefts I've seen, especially because it's such a minor and inconsequential part," one person wrote. "Is someone pranking you? If they really wanted to steal your trim why would they put another obviously different piece back in place?"

Another called the swap "hilarious but awful."

While this particular instance of vandalism is relatively minor, EV owners frequently have to contend with significant aggression toward their vehicles and charging stations.

While electric vehicles are critical for cutting down on planet-heating pollution, some people are strongly opposed to their use for a variety of reasons. Many people feel attached to conventional gasoline-fueled cars simply because it's what they've always had. Others are concerned that because EVs use batteries, they still require extractive processes and mining, which can damage the environment. 

While it's true that there are resources used to manufacture these batteries, the lifetime impact of an electric vehicle on the environment — as opposed to a combustion or diesel-fueled one — is significantly lower and cleaner. Additionally, scientists are continuously innovating on ways to make batteries more durable, long-lasting, and sustainable.

Regardless of personal sentiment towards EVs, choosing to destroy someone else's property is never the answer, even if the vandal does provide a replacement.

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