Dozens of Tesla vehicles were damaged at a dealership in Ontario, Canada, the Hamilton Police Service (HPS) confirmed to Fox News Digital. Authorities reported that the incident occurred overnight on March 18, with the damage including “deep scratches and punctured tires.”
HPS told Fox News Digital that officers are still working to obtain footage from the Tesla vehicles, as “some vehicle camera systems were recording during the mischief incident.” They also secured “limited” footage from the area. As of Saturday, it was too early in the investigation for HPS to determine a motive or the number of individuals involved. No suspects have been identified.
The night before this incident, police in London, Ontario, were reportedly called to the scene of a fire that is being investigated as suspicious. On March 17, a Tesla was set on fire, causing an estimated $140,000 in damage, according to the London Police Service.
Vandalism and attacks on Tesla vehicles and dealerships have been increasing in recent weeks. Many of these incidents appear to be politically motivated acts against Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk, stemming from his work with the Department of Government Efficiency.
The Trump administration has begun cracking down on Tesla vandals, with Attorney General Pam Bondi describing the string of attacks as “nothing short of domestic terrorism.” She vowed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would “continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks.”
On Thursday, the DOJ announced that three individuals were charged in connection with the “violent destruction of Tesla properties.” The defendants face charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years in prison, with the possibility of up to 20 years behind bars.
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” Bondi said in a DOJ statement. “Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
On Friday, President Donald Trump suggested that Tesla vandals could serve time in El Salvador’s prisons in a post on Truth Social.
“I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20-year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,” Trump wrote. “Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!”
Since January 2025, Tesla vehicles have been targeted in at least nine states, according to the FBI. The bureau has urged the public to “exercise vigilance” near Tesla properties.
