Unexpected Visitor: What to Do When Someone Charges Their Car on Your Property

Recently, I returned home from a weekend getaway only to discover a situation that I could never have anticipated. A car was parked in my driveway, plugged into my electric vehicle charger. The gates to my property had been left open, allowing this unwelcome visitor access. According to the charger, the vehicle was utilizing power at about 8% when I arrived, which prompted me to act quickly.

I promptly turned off the charger at the wall to halt the unintended energy supply and secured the charging cable, as it automatically locks in place when there is no power. Furthermore, I locked the gates to prevent the driver from leaving the property without addressing the situation first.

This incident raised a couple of critical questions for me: Should I contact the police regarding this apparent misuse of my property, and what implications might that have?

A Step Into the Unknown

Once I had assessed the situation, I decided to gather more information. The idea of reporting such an incident to law enforcement can be daunting, sparking concerns about the potential outcomes and how the situation might unfold. Would they consider this a case of theft or perhaps something else?

Realizing that if the driver wanted to leave, I would need to unlock the gates, I decided that taking advantage of the situation with the charging cable was not an option. This approach felt ethically ambiguous, and I opted instead to remain transparent and seek a resolution.

Update: A Series of Unexpected Events

For those interested in the resolution, here’s what transpired later that week. Upon heading to work, I learned from neighbors that the car was still parked in my driveway. Security camera footage revealed that the owner returned late at night but left without attempting to communicate with me, which raised further concerns.

The next morning, my neighbor alerted me that someone was attempting to cut through the gate. They had called the police, leading me to rush back home. When I arrived, I found the police on site, along with my neighbor and the car’s owner—a man in his 50s.

After speaking with the man, I learned that he had been told by hotel staff down the street that he could use my charger. Apparently, the previous owners of my property had allowed hotel guests to access the charger during their absence. This unfortunate miscommunication resulted in an escalation of tensions.

Wrapping It Up

The police managed to maintain calm throughout, even as the car owner expressed