A road conflict in Kyiv's Obolon district has escalated into a criminal case with an entirely logical, yet absurd scheme: an intoxicated man decided to independently collect "compensation" for an allegedly damaged wheel — and took someone else's electric car as collateral.
How it happened
Initially, a dispute arose between the drivers of a Tesla and a Mercedes while driving. The electric car owner stopped at a gas station — his opponent soon drove up there and continued the argument. At the moment when the Tesla owner was distracted, the Mercedes driver got into the unlocked automobile and drove away, leaving his own vehicle at the refueling station.
What followed was even more revealing. According to Kyiv patrol police data, the man returned to the gas station already without the stolen Tesla and announced: he would return the car only after receiving payment for the wheel. After that, he drove away in his Mercedes.
«The driver agreed to take a Drager test. The result was 1.51 per mille of alcohol»
Kyiv Patrol Police
Patrol officers detained the man at the scene. The Tesla was found separately.
What article applies and what threatens him
Investigators announced a suspicion under Part 3 of Article 289 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — unlawful taking of a vehicle in qualified form. The case is being handled by the Obolon District Prosecutor's Office. The sanctions for this article provide for up to eight years imprisonment. Additionally, a protocol was drawn up under Part 1 of Article 130 of the Code of Administrative Offences for driving while intoxicated.
A key legal detail: Ukrainian courts distinguish between "unlawful taking" (Article 289) and theft (Article 185) — the former does not require proving intent to appropriate the property; the mere fact of unlawful taking is sufficient. In other words, the argument "I just wanted to recover a debt" does not eliminate criminal liability.
An unlocked automobile — systemic vulnerability or human error?
This case is not the first time a Tesla has become a theft target precisely because of unlocked doors. Earlier in the Kyiv region, a similar incident was recorded: a perpetrator stole his employer's Tesla Model 3 and crashed it while fleeing. Electric vehicles do not have a traditional key lock — the entire system relies on a smartphone or access card. If the owner leaves and does not manually lock the car, the doors remain unlocked.
- Tesla does not lock automatically when the owner leaves without additional settings
- The "Walk-Away Door Lock" function is available in the menu, but is disabled by default in some configurations or ignored
- Police have never publicly recommended that electric car owners check this function
If the court imposes a real sentence — it will set a precedent for similar "vigilante compensation" schemes on the road. But if the case ends with a plea agreement or a suspended sentence, the scheme of "taking collateral and waiting for payment" risks gaining unwanted followers.
