A Saugus man stands accused of wreaking havoc on a bevy of Tesla vehicles in Peabody, outside of the Northshore Mall, according to authorities. Gardy Pierre, 28, made quite the stir when he allegedly poured paint on several cars in the Tesla showroom, with damages estimated at around $500,000. In a statement obtained by WHDH, the Peabody Police Department detailed the incident and described how, after a foot pursuit, officers apprehended Pierre on mall property.
The incident reportedly unfolded yesterday morning and was promptly reported by the Tesla store manager. Chasing Pierre on foot, he was arrested and charged with 11 counts of defacing property and one count of disturbing the peace. An outstanding warrant from Cambridge District Court was also on Pierre when the police arrested him, as reported by WCVB. Pierre's alleged vandalism spree comes amid a series of similar events targeting Tesla properties in the state, escalating confrontations with the high-profile electric carmaker.
In a brief account detailing Pierre's alleged actions, WCVB reported that the Peabody Police were alerted to the havoc at the Tesla store at 210 Andover St. The store manager quickly provided authorities with a description of the suspect and his direction of flight, which led to Pierre's capture on the property of North Shore Mall after the foot chase.
Gardy Pierre is currently facing multiple charges, and the Peabody District Court has scheduled his arraignment for Tuesday. Pierre pleaded not guilty to the 12 counts of property vandalism he was arraigned on and is slated to return to court on May 20. This arrest punctuates a series of targeted acts against Tesla, which have included rallies and protests seemingly aimed at the company's figurehead, Elon Musk, and political issues surrounding the Trump administration. The concerted effort saw Tesla cars defaced in Dedham and a Supercharger station set ablaze in Littleton last month.
