Parked Tesla captures thief stealing thousands of dollars from repair store manager's car

PHOENIX - A flagrant burglary took place in the middle of the morning, and it was all caught on camera.

"I’ve worked here for 14 years, and it’s never happened to me before," said Adolfo Lucio, the Car Wash Manager for Pensky Rapid Repairs.

The incident happened last Friday, on what began as a normal morning at Pensky Rapid Repairs. After cashing a company check for over $2,000, Lucio hid the money in his center console.

When he returned, it was gone.

"I was upset and mad and frustrated," said Lucio. "I didn’t know if I lost the money, or if someone had taken it out of my car."

There’s not a lot of good cameras in that part of the parking lot, and normally, the suspect would have gotten away. Little did the suspect know, however, that his every move was being caught on camera, by a very unexpected source.

The video, which was taken by a car parked nearby, shows a man in a hoodie and gloves slinking up to Lucio's car, snatching the money, and quickly scurrying away.

"That Tesla was able to get the footage of the guy going into my car," said Lucio.

With how quickly it all happened, Lucio surmises the suspect must have seen him at the bank, and followed him back.

"As he was walking back, he had this kind of smirk on his face. Like ‘yah, I got this money now,’ and that pissed me off more," said Lucio.

As police continue their investigation, Lucio is sharing some words of advice.

"Make sure your car doors are locked, and be aware of your surroundings because you never know who would be watching you," said Lucio.

Anyone with information should call police.