Locals are hoping 'karma comes around' to a serial vandal who keyed 'at least 10' cars on their affluent street, including a £85,000 Mercedes, before he was caught by AI.
Neighbours in the Alum Chine area of Bournemouth have described their anger after the mysterious man decided to damage their parked cars for no apparent reason.
But he was caught in the act by CCTV after one Tesla driver on the street left his car in sentry mode, which keeps the car's cameras running and uses sensors to look out for anysuspicious activity - despite the vehicle being parked.
The man was seen in the footage blatantly walking down the road in Westbourne, Bournemouth, going from one car to another and scratching the paint with his keys.
CCTV footage shows him scraping the side of a Renault car before walking onto a private driveway to do the same to a black Mercedes 4x4.
Has YOUR car been vandalised or do YOU know the man? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk
The man keys the Tesla which records the incident using itsonboard security cameras
So far there have been reports of up to 10 cars being damaged in several streets in the Westbourne area on the afternoon of July 17, causing thousands of pounds of damage
Footage shows the offender dressed in a black t-shirt and blue Bermuda shorts with pink flamingos on them
The man then approaches the Tesla but does not notice the electric car's onboard security cameras which remained on.
The footage clearly shows the offender dressed in a black t-shirt and blue Bermuda shorts with pink flamingos on them.
As he walks past the grey-coloured Tesla he uses the edge of his key to make a 2ft long scratch on the driver's side door.
One of the cars he defaced was a Mercedes EQC 400 electric car on Westbourne Park Road.
Owner Sascha von Rappard, 42, said: 'It's an £85,000 car, probably the most expensive on the road.
'There's really nothing we can do, it is what it is. All we can do it get the insurance on it and hope the police can find him.
'Do I think they will? Probably not. What are they going to do?
After the Tesla owner uploaded the shocking footage to social media, other car owners came forward to report their vehicles being damaged
One of the cars he defaced was a Mercedes EQC 400 electric car on the affluent Westbourne Park Road (pictured)
'It's a very quiet and fairly affluent area. No one comes down here other than owners and delivery drivers. You just wouldn't expect it around here
'I hope that karma comes around to get him.'
It is not known why the man carried out the acts, although at least two of the cars were expensive, fully electric vehicles.
After the Tesla owner uploaded the shocking footage to social media, other car owners came forward to report their vehicles being damaged.
So far there have been reports of up to 10 cars being damaged in several streets in the Westbourne area on the afternoon of July 17, causing thousands of pounds of damage.
The victims said they are baffled as to what drove the man to carry out the act.
The Tesla owner, who did not want to be named, said: 'I don't usually have the sentry mode on because it runs the battery down but on this occasion I did.
'When I got back to the car at 7.15pm I noticed it had been badly scratched down the full width of the driver's door. I got a sentry alert and saw the footage from 2.21pm.
'You could clearly see the same guy had keyed two other cars before doing mine. I spoke to other people on the road and they hadn't realised their cars had been damaged.
'I have no idea why he has done it, it is quite random.
The Tesla car filmed the vandal at work in Westbourne Park Road (red), damage was also reported to vehicles in Branksome Dene Road (green) and Sandbourne Road (blue).A map of the pattern of offences shows the vandal walked in an almost straight line away from the beach at Alum Chine towards Westbourne
The man is seen walking down the street and into people's driveways to key a number of cars
'Had he stolen the car and taken it for a joyride, there would have been some logic to it but it just seems completely senseless.
'It is probably going to cost £800 to repair so nobody has gained anything from it.'
Vicki Townsend's Ford Focus was also targeted. The 40-year-old said: 'When I went out at about 3.30pm I noticed an eight inch scratch along the driver's side door.
'Then I saw all the other reports on social media and realised I was part of it. 'He has done so much damage to so many cars for no rhyme nor reason.
'Some of the cars were parked on the road and some were on driveways.'
She added: 'I don't know who this guy is but I would like to have a word with him.'
Local resident Ursula Piovanelli said: 'I saw four cars keyed in our road while walking my dog, it seems he is choosing the more expensive cars, as skips the smaller less expensive ones. Hope he gets caught.'
The fact that he was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts has caused some locals to theorise that he keyed the cars on his way home after a day out at Alum Chine beach (the beach pictured last Monday)
The route that the man took to carry out his senseless crimes was from the beach and heading in a northerly direction towards Westbourne.
The fact that he was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts has caused some locals to theorise that he keyed the cars on his way home after a day out at the beach.
A map of the pattern of offences shows the vandal walked in an almost straight line away from the beach at Alum Chine towards Westbourne.
All the offences took place on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 17, when the weather was sunny and about 20C.
It is thought that the man scratched at least five cars in the area of Sandbourne Road; two BMWs, a Mazda, a black Vauxhall Astra and a black Range Rover and the Tesla and Mercedes on Westbourne Park Road.
The police also received a report of damage to a car on Branksome Dene Road, which is in between the other two locations.
Dorset police have been approached for comment.
