Tesla Sentry Mode Helps BMW Owner Try To Catch A Thief

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Tesla’s Sentry Mode is always saving the day, or at least helping police solve crimes that without witnesses are hard to solve and get pushed aside until new evidence shows up. In this case, a BMW owner benefitted from Tesla’s Sentry Mode.

Imagine going for a hike, or any other type of walk, and coming back to see your car was broken into. That’s what happened to the husband of Model X owner Dorothy Ownes. He went to the Thousand Oaks/Malibu Canyon area and had this occur. Dorothy is a member of the Tesla Diva’s Facebook group and she shared her story in the group, as well as giving me permission to write a story about it in hopes of identifying the possible thief.

I say “possible thief” due to the fact that the Sentry Mode video does not show him breaking into the BMW. It does show him checking out the Tesla and walking toward where the BMW was parked. Until we know without a shadow of a doubt he is indeed the thief (fingerprints and DNA proof, or even a confession), we have to be fair given the legal principle “innocent until proven guilty.”

However, it doesn’t look good for the possible thief.

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Dorothy, the Model X owner, tells us that Mark, an owner of a Model 3, had his Sentry Mode activated and it saw quite a bit. The good thing is that Sentry Mode got clear shots of the possible thief. The unfortunate thing is that Mark’s front camera wasn’t working — he has an appointment with the service center to take care of that.

Even though the front camera wasn’t working, both the left and right side cameras were and had a lot to show.

Mark’s Tesla was parked right next to the vandalized BMW. Dorothy filed a police report and told me that preliminary estimates of the damages are between $800 and $1000. The door needs to be taken apart and inspected, the interior needs detailing, and additional losses were a pair of shorts and a shirt.

Fortunately, there was nothing of value sitting out to be taken. Also, the rear doors and trunk were not opened. Perhaps he could have been interrupted — maybe people passed by and he didn’t want to get caught. The area is a popular spot for hikers in the evening, Dorothy says.

The possible thief also checked out the Model 3 and left in an SUV. “He checked out the Model 3,” Dorothy mentions. “Before breaking into my husband’s car. Looked straight at the camera.”

In the first video from the left camera, you can see the possible thief getting out of the SUV and walking over towards the right.

In the second video filmed from the right camera, you can see him walking from the left side. He pauses to scan the area — probably making sure no one is around. Then he goes straight to the Model 3, cups his face to see inside, and bends down to look inside the car. Then he quickly jumps back and walks away.

My thoughts are that he saw the Sentry Mode icon on the big screen and tried to get away as fast as possible.

At 0:38 in the video is when he gets closer to the Tesla.

Photos taken from the video also show closer details of the possible thief.

Photo by Dorothy Owens, used with permission.