Florida man who broke into restaurant to charge his Tesla identified and arrested

Back in May 2025, South Florida’s news agencies shared viral photos of some guy who broke into a restaurant in the middle of the night and re-arranged the furniture to make room to charge up his electric car.  This week, that Palm Beach County guy who bizarrely tried to drive his electric car into the popular Harry and the Natives restaurant in Hobe Sound was identified, arrested, and is now facing criminal charges.

WPTV shared that the news that surveillance footage from the early morning hours of May 26 showed a man moving tables out of the way inside the Hobe Sound restaurant and attempting to pull an EV charger into the establishment to reach an outlet.  “He unplugged the soda dispenser and then tried to back in here. Then he hit that post and the planter up there,” said owner Harry MacArthur. 

The very strange incident occurred on May 26, when 23-year-old Evan Scott Bobal drove his blue Tesla through the closed restaurant in the early morning hours, moved tables aside, and attempted to charge his car at the bar. Surveillance video from inside the restaurant helped Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) detectives quickly identify Bobal as the suspect.

Detectives were able to secure a warrant for burglary and attempted theft, which was served today with the assistance of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the South Florida Task Force. Bobal’s bond is set at $12,500.

In closing out the case, the Sheriff’s Office said that “We appreciate the outstanding teamwork that brought this unusual case to a close—and remind everyone: restaurants are for dining, not docking your vehicle.”

For more on the story, see the video accompanying this article.

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(Source and images: Martin County Sheriff’s Office)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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