Unfortunate Encounter: License Plate Theft and Car Damage – Seeking Advice and Sentry Mode Mystery

[tfraley]

Hey everyone,

I had a rather unfortunate encounter today that I wanted to share with you all. As I was sitting in my car, a homeless woman who seemed to be in a tough spot walked by and unexpectedly ripped off my rear license plate. It was quite a shock, and my father-in-law managed to retrieve it in the end.

Unfortunately, during this incident, she also clipped the hatchback, leaving a dent and some ripples. My car is barely two months old, so this really stings, knowing I'll have to live with this for years. I've already ordered the Tesla Midnight Silver PMNG/NEU-112E Touch Up Paint by Touchupdirect to try and repair the damage, even though I'm aware it won't completely fix the issue due to the location and the extent of the damage. It just isn't worth going through the deductible to get it professionally fixed.

I've used scratch repair kits in the past with my Model 3, but I'm open to any new tips or suggestions you might have for this situation.

On a related note, I noticed that my car's Sentry Mode didn't record the incident, which is rather strange. I've used it before and even checked earlier recordings from that day, but there's no footage of the woman's actions, and no alarm went off. Does anyone here have any insights into why this might have happened?

Thanks in advance for any advice or thoughts you can share.

 

[IknowUknow]

The cameras should be on If someone is sitting on the driver sit, so I believe you need to hit the camera icon to save it.

 

[tfraley]

The cameras should be on If someone is sitting on the driver sit, so I believe you need to hit the camera icon to save it.

I wasn't in the car, it was parked in my driveway. It's strange that the camera didn't capture what she did since it's located by the license plate. Also, why didn't the alarm go off when she ripped off the license plate with the holder? Fortunately, only the plastic inserts broke and didn't cause further damage. Just to clarify, this incident happened with my 2023 Model Y, which is only about a month and a half old. I had a Model 3 since 2019, but I recently gave it to my son.

 

[IknowUknow]

Hey everyone,

I had a rather unfortunate encounter today that I wanted to share with you all. As I was sitting in my car, a homeless woman who seemed to be in a tough spot walked by and unexpectedly ripped off my rear license plate. It was quite a shock, and my father-in-law managed to retrieve it in the end.

oh

 

[Black306]

Hard to tell from a picture, but the scuff on the left look like it’ll mostly come off with buffing. Probably only need to touch up a small part that went though the paint.

On the right, fortunately it’s under the lip. Hopefully it can’t be seen easily with the trunk closed.

 

[tfraley]

Hard to tell from a picture, but the scuff on the left look like it’ll mostly come off with buffing. Probably only need to touch up a small part that went though the paint.

On the right, fortunately it’s under the lip. Hopefully it can’t be seen easily with the trunk closed.

yhea I'm pretty sure the left side could be cleaned up and plate pretty much covers a decent amount.

The right side yhea, I will know it's there for the next 5 years and be upset every time I see it .
I ordered some touch up paint the hope is once I touch it up it will be less noticeable but with the ripple in the lip you will still see that for sure.

 

[Watts_Up]

As I was sitting in my car, a homeless woman who seemed to be in a tough spot
walked by and unexpectedly ripped off my rear license plate.
It was quite a shock, and my father-in-law managed to retrieve it in the end.

How di you get back your license plate?

 

[richrootes]

Which hospital did you take this badly beaten woman to?

 

[Big Dog]

For a 2-month old car, I'd file an insurance claim and take it to a Tesla Body shop. Note, under CA law, your insurer cannot raise your rates for filing such a claim when you were not at fault. (assume you have uninsured and underinsured coverage)

 

[fholbert]

Hey everyone,

I had a rather unfortunate encounter today that I wanted to share with you all. As I was sitting in my car, a homeless woman who seemed to be in a tough spot walked by and unexpectedly ripped off my rear license plate. It was quite a shock, and my father-in-law managed to retrieve it in the end.

Unfortunately, during this incident, she also clipped the hatchback, leaving a dent and some ripples. My car is barely two months old, so this really stings, knowing I'll have to live with this for years. I've already ordered the Tesla Midnight Silver PMNG/NEU-112E Touch Up Paint by Touchupdirect to try and repair the damage, even though I'm aware it won't completely fix the issue due to the location and the extent of the damage. It just isn't worth going through the deductible to get it professionally fixed.

I've used scratch repair kits in the past with my Model 3, but I'm open to any new tips or suggestions you might have for this situation.

On a related note, I noticed that my car's Sentry Mode didn't record the incident, which is rather strange. I've used it before and even checked earlier recordings from that day, but there's no footage of the woman's actions, and no alarm went off. Does anyone here have any insights into why this might have happened?

Thanks in advance for any advice or thoughts you can share.



View attachment 974106View attachment 974107
View attachment 974108

Really sorry this happened to you.

 

[Chewy13]

Do you have Sentry mode excluded when at home?

Sentry Mode Settings​

• Exclude specific locations
  In Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode, you can determine if you want Sentry Mode to not enable in certain locations (see Home, Work, and Favorite Destinations for more information):
  • Exclude Home: Sentry Mode does not automatically enable at the location set as Home in your Favorites list.
  • Exclude Work: Sentry Mode does not automatically enable at the location set as Work in your Favorites list.
  • Exclude Favorites: Sentry Mode does not automatically enable at any location in your Favorites list.
    Note
    To recognize a location listed as Home, Work, or a Favorite, Model Y must be parked within approximately 1,640 feet (500 meters) of the saved location.

Further, was the car locked or unlocked? Sentry only records when locked and in park.

When enabled, your vehicle's cameras and sensors (if equipped) remain powered on and ready to record suspicious activity around your vehicle when Model Y is locked and in Park.

To my knowledge, per the manual, the conditions when the alarm would sound:

If Model Y does not detect an authenticated phone or key and a locked door or trunk is opened, an alarm sounds.

 

[Watts_Up]

For a 2-month old car, I'd file an insurance claim and take it to a Tesla Body shop. Note, under CA law, your insurer cannot raise your rates for filing such a claim when you were not at fault. (assume you have uninsured and underinsured coverage)

I think the issue might be the deductible that the owner will have to pay versus a cheap DIY (botched) job.

 

[Gumball]

If it will annoy you for the next 5 years, get it fixed, much cheaper then 5 years of misery.

 

[Lumpydog]

Install Teslas Carbon Fiber spoiler. Looks great, paint damage gone.

 

[Watts_Up]

I wasn't in the car, it was parked in my driveway. It's strange that the camera didn't capture what she did
since it's located by the license plate. Also, why didn't the alarm go off when she ripped off the license plate with the holder?

Maybe Sentry and the Alarm are not activated when parked at home?

 

[tfraley]

How di you get back your license plate?

She throw it on the grown when they saw my father in-law

 

[tfraley]

Do you have Sentry mode excluded when at home?

Further, was the car locked or unlocked? Sentry only records when locked and in park.


To my knowledge, per the manual, the conditions when the alarm would sound:

FYI like stated it recored be before and when I came back to see what happened.

So I am not using any exclusions and the car should have been locked as its set to when I walk away.

This is confusing

 

[tfraley]

Install Teslas Carbon Fiber spoiler. Looks great, paint damage gone.

I thought of that but the damage is on the bottom lip not the top like most people who open the trunk by accident and hit something.

 

[tfraley]

So question guys.

Why didn't the alarm go off when they ripped the plate off.
Sure don't know why sentry mode didn't go off. But this is very confusing to me.

Almost as much as knowing the whole quarter panel window on my model 3 dosn't set off alarm and people were going around stealing out of model 3's. Why I always parked close to things when in a parking lot.

But this has me stumped as to why it didn't record or set the alarm off....

Beside the sentry mode recording. If someone hit your car from behind while parked the alarm should sound right or is this something I'm taking for granted.

Thanks for all the comments guys

 

[Chewy13]

Why didn't the alarm go off when they ripped the plate off.

Almost as much as knowing the whole quarter panel window on my model 3 dosn't set off alarm and people were going around stealing out of model 3's. Why I always parked close to things when in a parking lot.

But this has me stumped as to why it didn't record or set the alarm off....

If someone hit your car from behind while parked the alarm should sound right or is this something I'm taking for granted.

Unfortunate Encounter: License Plate Theft and Car Damage – Seeking Advice and Sentry Mode Mystery

Hey everyone, I had a rather unfortunate encounter today that I wanted to share with you all. As I was sitting in my car, a homeless woman who seemed to be in a tough spot walked by and unexpectedly ripped off my rear license plate. It was quite a shock, and my father-in-law managed to retrieve...

teslamotorsclub.com