Florida man steals Tesla Cybertruck during a test drive, returns to the dealer days later
Given the opportunity, a test drive is a must-do for any car-buying experience. But (and it’s a biggie), you must return the vehicle after you get a feel for it. No one told this Florida man, as he took a Tesla Cybertruck for a test drive and didn’t come back. That is, until he returned days later to get his stuff.
A Tampa man test drove a Tesla Cybertruck, drove it, ditched it, and got arrested after he returned to the dealer
As of late, Tesla dealers have to be excited when a potential buyer shows some interest. That’s likely why a Tesla location in Tampa, Florida, let Dexter Smithen hit the road in a Cybertruck Cyberbeast for a short 30-minute test drive. Well, it was supposed to be no longer than half an hour. A half hour swept by, and the joyrider was nowhere to be found.
That’s when the salespeople at the Tesla dealership knew something was up. According to a criminal affidavit, an employee at the dealership called Smithen, hoping to secure the return of the Cybertruck. No answer. Smithen had provided a phone number to a disconnected line. Working other angles, the salesperson emailed Smithen demanding that he bring the EV pickup truck back.
No joy. Smithen and the Tesla Cybertruck were in the wind. Maybe the car thief didn’t know, but the Tesla employees used geolocation tracking to monitor the Cybertruck. Here’s the kicker. Smithen didn’t take the Cybertruck to a chop shop or damage it in some anti-Elon Musk protest. He drove to a Home Depot and went shopping.
According to Fox 13 News, a salesperson took a video of Smithen walking away from the Cybertruck before collecting the vehicle and contacting the authorities. But Smithen wasn’t finished. Days later, the brazen car thief returned to the dealership, claiming he had left things in the Cybertruck.
Those belongings better have been worth it. Smithen is looking at a grand theft auto charge for a vehicle costing more than $100,000. To add to the scandalousness of the brazen test drive, police found credit cards belonging to five other people on Smithen at the time of his arrest.
