Aurora resident Chunfung Auo got an unpleasant surprise in the parking lot at his local Costco over the holidays.
As he left the Costco at Green Lane and Yonge Street on Newmarket's border and headed toward his new Tesla on Dec. 28, he was shocked to find it had been "keyed" — its paintwork deliberately scratched by a key or other sharp object — while he was shopping. His new vehicle of just four months, which he had worked to keep in good condition, now had exterior damage.
“I take care of it so much,” he said. “We were so surprised and upset.”
Camera footage provided by Auo shows an older man approaching his vehicle in the parking lot, and holding a key against its side as he walks alongside it.
Auo reported the incident to York Regional Police, which is assigning an investigator to the incident, and posted the video and photographs on multiple social media sites in a bid to identify the perpetrator.
“He should be responsible,” he said. “He cannot just do something like vandalism … We have to give him some penalty.”
His posts have received hundreds of comments across Reddit and Facebook and more than 800 views on a YouTube video.
“There's absolutely no reason to damage a person's private property,” one commenter said. “This angers me to no end and I hope you get that guy's insurance to pay for the damages.”
"Doesn’t anyone one have any patience, respect or common sense?!" another person on social media said.
Auo said the keying may have been a retaliation due to a perceived conflict over a parking spot, but added that he had was waiting in the lane prior to the other vehicle turning into it — he shared a dashcam video — and that the suspect was seemingly able to find another place to park.
He said he has not assessed the damage costs yet, but hopes that police can find the suspect to pay for the damage.
It is important that they find the person so he can not do it again, Auo said.
"He would do it a second time, I think."
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