ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A St. Petersburg man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a Tesla Cybertruck during a test drive and causing roughly $20,000 in damages, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
On Nov. 17, 26-year-old Richel Valdivia agreed to a 30-minute test drive of a 2025 Tesla Cybertruck from a dealership at 3224 35th Street North.
Valdivia never returned the vehicle, keeping it for approximately two days. On Nov. 19, an assistant manager located the stolen Cybertruck at Valdivia’s home. The vehicle suffered extensive damage, including a smashed rearview mirror, missing GPS monitor, detached driver-side sun visor, and partially torn front fender flares. Unusual items, including small rocks and a pair of men’s underwear, were found inside the flares.
The dealership’s video footage showed Valdivia repeatedly striking the rearview mirror, destroying the rear camera and shattering the glass.
Valdivia faces charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle and criminal mischief.
