Man Visiting Hospital for Job Interview Arrested for Placing “SWASTICAR” Stickers on Teslas

by Ryan Yousefi May 4, 2025

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Douglas Barns {BSO}

A Cleveland Clinic employee was arrested after allegedly placing “SWASTICAR” stickers on two Tesla vehicles parked outside HCA Florida Northwest Hospital.

According to a Margate Police Department incident report, on April 24, a woman visiting the hospital parked her Tesla in a handicap spot near the main entrance. Upon returning to her vehicle, the car’s Sentry Mode notified her of an alert, indicating a possible incident had been recorded by the vehicle’s external cameras.

The woman told officers she initially suspected her vehicle had been keyed, due to recent nationwide reports of vandalism targeting Tesla owners. She did not see visible damage at first and drove to a nearby car wash.

After the wash, she noticed a sticker on her rear passenger-side window that read “SWASTICAR”—a play on words referencing a swastika. The woman attempted to remove the sticker, but adhesive residue remained.

Records show the woman returned to the hospital and contacted Margate Police. Investigators reviewed footage from Tesla’s Sentry Mode and hospital surveillance cameras. The videos showed a male, later identified as Douglas Barns, 49, of Fort Lauderdale, approaching from the rear of the victim’s vehicle, dropping something from his wallet, picking it up, and then clearly placing a sticker on the vehicle’s window.

Further footage revealed Barns placing the same sticker on another Tesla in the same parking lot.

Hospital security allegedly confirmed that Barns entered the building and checked in for a job interview with the pharmacy department. An employee at the hospital told police she interviewed Barns for over an hour.

On April 30, law enforcement contacted Barns at his current place of employment, the Cleveland Clinic in Weston. He was arrested and transported to the Broward County Main Jail.

Beginning in early 2025, there has been an increased number of incidents of vandalism targeting Tesla property, including vehicles, dealerships, and charging stations. The incidents have been part of a larger wave of protests against Elon Musk, Tesla’s owner and a leader of the Department of Government Efficiency.

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Author Profile

Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiples outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.