An Irvine man has been arrested and faces felony vandalism charges for allegedly defacing 13 Tesla vehicles with red spray paint in late-night attacks at a local shopping plaza.
Max Sebastian Solomon, 25, was taken into custody Tuesday after investigators linked him to two separate vandalism incidents. The Irvine Police Department stated that Solomon appears to have a personal dislike for the company Tesla, with police spokesman Kyle Oldoerp telling ABC7, “He has personal beliefs or feelings towards that company and took that aggression out by committing this vandalism.”
Authorities were led to Solomon after an officer investigating a prior incident recalled a suspect who had spat on a Tesla while carrying a takeout bag from a nearby restaurant. The officer later visited the restaurant and identified Solomon.
Surveillance footage from July 17 showed a man entering a parking garage around 10:30 p.m., preparing a can of spray paint, and covering a Tesla with the word "Nazi." Four vehicles were damaged in this initial incident.
Less than a week later, the suspect allegedly returned to the same shopping plaza and targeted a different parking garage. Nine additional Teslas were vandalized, with messages including "Nazi" and "Fascist" spray-painted on them.
Investigators had previously released surveillance images of the suspect, highlighting distinctive shoes and a possible tattoo behind his right elbow in an effort to solicit public identification. One victim reported that a professional auto restorer removed the graffiti from his vehicle free of charge, stating he was offended by the vandalism.
Solomon is facing felony vandalism charges in connection with the incidents.