‘Is This Stealing?’: Florida Man Walks Out Of Church. Then He Calls Out His Neighbor For Charging His Tesla In Church Parking Lot

He watched his neighbor pull up to the church, plug in his Tesla, unfold an electric scooter, and ride off into the night. Then he hit record. The TikTok clip by a Florida man (@spikekiller86) that followed asks viewers whether the neighbor is stealing. But he doesn’t ask the more uncomfortable question: Why is a grown man surveilling his neighbor's charging habits and posting them online instead of minding his own business?

The video starts in front of Christ Fellowship Church in Florida. He had been outside with his kids, who were riding their bikes in the parking lot. He saw something he clearly thought was less than kosher.

"This car is sitting in front of this church. The church has a Tesla charger,” he said. “This car belongs to a homeowner who lives in the neighborhood way back there—his house is back there. He owns this vehicle. What he does is drive this vehicle to the church at night, plug it in, and charge his car.”

This is where it gets sideways.

“Whether that's stealing or not—that's not for me to say,” he said, which seemed a bit disingenuous. “But I watched him park the car, take out an electric scooter, and scooter home to his house while his car charges at the church.

Then, just when he said it’s not for him to say, he asks, “Is that stealing or not? Leave it in the comments."

The Peanut Gallery

Boy, did they leave it in the comments.

“Not sure if it’s stealing, but minding your business is FREE!” said one woman. “Bet you also drive a Tesla. Don't you, with a comment like that? You definitely are a Tesla driver,” he responded. But another reply said, “She is right tho. Why is it bothering you? Is he doing anything wrong to you or taking from you?”

Some had jokes. “The church cannot be stolen from because it DOESNT PAY TAXES. This car is just powered by the Lord,” one man said.

Another said, “Electricity is a commodity like all others and commodities cost money, so if he does not have permission from the church, it’s safe to say that he is stealing it.”

---

---

FROM THE TRENDING NEWS DESK

Viral bits from across the social media landscape

Our team of experts tracks what's trending so you don't have to—from viral videos to online debates that have everyone talking.

But as a reply, the commenter noted: “Still none of the OP's business.”

Well, Technically...

The poster’s snitching aside, unless the Tesla’s owner had an agreement, his charging likely constitutes theft.

Florida Statute 812.014 (General Theft) states that "a person commits theft if he or she knowingly obtains or uses, or endeavors to obtain or to use, the property of another with intent to, either temporarily or permanently: (a) Deprive the other person of a right to the property or a benefit from the property."

Electricity is considered property in Florida, and using it without consent, even from a church, meets Florida’s elements of theft.

The approximate value of a single EV charge is $5-15, which would make an overnight charge a second-degree misdemeanor (petit theft) under Florida law.

This isn’t hypothetical. In 2013, a Georgia man was arrested and jailed for 15 hours after charging his Nissan Leaf at a school outlet for 20 minutes, which cost roughly five cents. Police dismissed concerns about the trivial amount, stating, "It doesn't matter. He broke the law."

So the Tesla owner is in something of a gray area. Churches sometimes extend grace, but if he didn’t ask, it could be an issue.

InsideEVs reached out to @spikekiller86 via TikTok comment and Christ Fellowship Church via email.

 

 

 

 

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Insideevs.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The InsideEVs team