VIDEO: Florida suspects smash Tesla gate and steal 3 cars, deputies say
MIAMI, Fla. - Video captured the moment two suspects rammed down a gate using one stolen Tesla and then drove off with two other stolen Tesla cars from a parking lot in Miami, Florida.
Deputies said they currently do not have any information on the subjects, and the stolen cars have not been recovered.
Suspects steal 3 Teslas from Florida
What we know:
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said it responded to reports of stolen Teslas around 1:36 a.m. on Thursday at 2527 NW 38 Court in Miami.
When they arrived at the scene, deputies said they discovered the subjects had stolen a Tesla and used it to ram open the gate of a local business called Balado National Tires. The suspects then left that Tesla behind and stole an additional two Tesla cars, officials said.
Deputies are searching for two suspects who are accused of stealing three Tesla cars and using one to ram through the gates of a parking lot in Miami, Florida. (Credit: Storyful)
Police said they have recovered the Tesla used to smash open the gate, but it suffered "substantial damage."
All three cars involved in the theft were owned by a car rental company that leases parking space from Balado National Tires.
Authorities said no one was injured during the incident.
Surveillance video captures theft
Dig deeper:
Surveillance footage from Balado National Tires shows one person driving a white Tesla into the gate, blocking off the parking lot from the road.
After the gate is knocked down, another person in a red Tesla drives out of the parking lot and down the street.
The person in the white Tesla can be seen getting out of the car, running back to the parking lot and getting into a different white Tesla, before then driving off after the red Tesla.
Florida suspects smash into Tesla gate and steal 3 cars
Surveillance footage captured the moment two suspected car thieves rammed down a gate and drove off with two Teslas on Thursday from a parking lot in Miami, Florida. Deputies said they currently do not have any information on the subjects, and the stolen cars have not been recovered.
'Tesla Takedown' protests erupt nationwide
Big picture view:
Officials did not confirm whether the stolen vehicles were an independent incident or if they were part of the "Tesla Takedown" protests and events taking place across the United States, including in Florida.
The demonstrations are part of activists' attempts to escalate a movement targeting Tesla dealerships and vehicles in opposition to Elon Musk’s role as the head of the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Since joining the Trump administration, Musk has aggressively pushed policies to reduce spending, curb regulations and downsize the workforce
More than 200 demonstrations were planned at Tesla locations across the U.S. last month as part of the "Tesla Takedown" movement, which called for a "global day of action" aiming for 500 protests worldwide.
Musk has touched on the Tesla incidents on his X account. In one post, he said, "Has there ever been such a level of coordinated violence against a peaceful company? I understand not wanting to buy a product, but this is extreme arson and destruction!" In another post, he said, "Based on the videos I’ve seen so far, the worst fear of the paid Tesla ‘protestors’ appears to be having to get a real job."
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The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from previous reporting, as well as from information shared by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office in an email on April 10, 2025, and from Elon Musk's X account.