A man who allegedly keyed six luxury cars has been banned from several shopping centres and their carparks.
Nathan Abela, 34, was arrested at a shopping centre in Schofields, in Sydney‘s northwest, on Sunday night after a member of the public called police.
Three Teslas, an Audi, a Mercedes and a Volkswagen Golf were allegedly keyed in January and February this year while parked in centres around Rouse Hill, Box Hill and Schofields.
Abela, who is understood to be homeless, allegedly had a three-bladed metal multi-tool with him during his arrest.
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/19/06/81432807-13099257-Nathan_Abela_allegedly_keyed_six_luxury_cars_in_carparks_around_-a-4_1708322976647.jpg)
He was charged with six counts of malicious damage, and one count of custody of an offensive implement in a public place.
Abela faced Blacktown Local Court on Monday following a night in custody and was granted conditional bail.
As part of his conditions, the 34-year-old is banned from entering the Schofields Village Shopping Centre, the Woolworths in Schofields and the Rouse Hill Shopping Centre – as well as the carparks at each centre.
He must also be of good behaviour and abstain from alcohol and drugs, unless prescribed.
Abela must also attend a GP within seven days and accept any treatment reasonably recommended.
Shocking footage from the security system on one of the Teslas caught Abela allegedly carrying out the act.
Video showed the man walking past the cars while allegedly dragging the tool along the side of the vehicle before checking behind him to see if anyone was watching.
Abela was seen allegedly keying another car in a separate incident.
He will face court again on March 4.
It comes after 70-year-old Raymond Edwards and his wife Barbara were caught keying a Tesla in the Brookside Shopping Centre in Brisbane‘s inner north last October.
Standing outside his home last month, Mr Edwards told Daily Mail Australia he and Barbara had let frustration get the better of them after they were ‘cut off’ and almost forced into a power pole by a white Tesla and white BMW about 800m from the shops.
The couple then tried to get their revenge – but were caught out by the Tesla’s sentry mode, which records threats on video. They were also seen keying the BMW.
Mr Edwards admitted keying the cars was the wrong decision before launching into a tirade about the behaviour of motorists.
He also declared that he’d never own an electric vehicle and would ‘stand there and clap’ if he ever saw a Tesla on fire at the roadside.
‘I regret our actions, but the thing is, courtesy has been thrown out the window and stupidity has been thrown in,’ Mr Edwards said.
Mr Edwards was ordered to pay $2,443.61 in restitution for the damage caused to the Tesla and the BMW, while Mrs Edwards was ordered to pay the remaining $897.25 for Tesla repair work.