Irvine police arrested 25-year-old Max Sebastian Solomon on felony vandalism charges after 13 Tesla vehicles were spray-painted at a Michelson Drive shopping plaza over roughly a week. Surveillance footage showed a suspect writing words such as "Nazi" and "Fascist" on multiple cars. Investigators tied Solomon to an earlier spitting incident and used a takeout order and related evidence to identify him. The case highlights how small, everyday details and surveillance footage can solve complex crimes.
Takeout Receipt Breaks Case: Irvine Man Arrested After 13 Teslas Spray-Painted
Image Credit: Irvine Police Department / Facebook.
Irvine police have arrested 25-year-old Max Sebastian Solomon after a weeklong vandalism spree that left 13 Tesla vehicles defaced at a shopping plaza on Michelson Drive near LA Fitness. Authorities booked Solomon into Orange County Jail on felony vandalism charges after detectives tied him to multiple incidents at the same plaza.
What Happened
Surveillance footage captured one episode around 10:30 p.m. showing a man inside a parking garage shaking a can of red spray paint, pulling his shirt over his face, and scrawling the word "Nazi" on a Tesla. That night four Teslas were hit; less than a week later, in a different garage at the same plaza, nine more Teslas were vandalized with words including "Nazi" and "Fascist," according to ABC7 Eyewitness News.
Investigation Breakthrough
Detectives initially relied on physical clues — matching shoes and a distinctive tattoo near the suspect’s right elbow — to link the two incidents. The crucial breakthrough, however, came from a seemingly mundane event: an earlier, unrelated incident in which a man spat on a Tesla at an intersection. Investigators identified the suspect by tracing a takeout order and related evidence the suspect was carrying during that encounter.
Impact On Owners
Owners described the vandalism as upsetting and disruptive. One victim told ABC7 the damage kept him off the road for several days until he found someone to remove the paint; that person performed the cleanup for free, saying they were offended by the vandalism. Beyond emotional upset, intentional damage to vehicles imposes real financial and logistical burdens on owners—many of whom are still paying off their cars.
Why It Matters
Vandalism spanning multiple incidents at the same location suggests premeditation rather than a single act of rage. The case also underscores how small, ordinary details—like a receipt or a takeout bag—plus omnipresent surveillance cameras can provide the crucial leads that close complicated investigations.
Police Message: Irvine investigators stressed that even when suspects attempt to conceal their identities, routine physical clues and everyday items often help build a case.
The arrest is a reminder that deliberate property damage is a criminal offense with consequences for both victims and perpetrators, and that public surveillance and careful police work can be decisive.
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