[muzika]

The explanation is likely simple: the owner of the car left their car unlocked and either had the key card on the center console, or left their paired phone (which acts as the key) inside the car.

These details were likely left out to make a more interesting story.

[Mordisquitos]

That would need the assumption that the owner of the car had two phones: the paired one that he left in the car, plus another from which he was able to text the purportedly oblivious driver.

However, as critical and sceptical as I am towards the fad of needlessly "smart-ing" and "app-ing" everything (Tesla being a prime example of this) I will admit I find the story suspicious. The fact that:

1- ...the owner of the car was able to so quickly intuit that his car had been driven off by mistake by the owner of another car next to it...

2- ...that the owner was able to find the other driver's number in said other car (how many people have their phone numbers in clear view inside their car?) and was confident enough about the situation that he texted that number to inform the driver of the mistake...

3- ...and the driver conveniently noticed a crack in the windshield and cared enough about it to phone his wife right now for an explanation, and then saw the text messages from the owner (texting and driving much?)...

...makes me seriously suspect that this whole thing is a set-up or intentional publicly stunt of some sort, done in collusion between both Tesla owners.

[muststopmyths]

The first guy unlocked his car, but drove off in the other guys car, which was already left unlocked.

Said other guy thus found an unlocked Tesla next to where his was supposed to be and guessed what happened, found the document and texted.

[elif]

This is why I hate journalists. "Man leaves keys in unlocked car" will get 0.1% of the clicks so it will never be published this way.

[netsharc]

Do you regularly hate based on conjecture?

[Dylan16807]

"This" means "this sort of thing" and I'm willing to bet the hate is based on confirmed instances in the past.

[mojosam]

So does that mean if the driver accidentally leaves their phone in your Tesla — which is something that’s easy to do accidentally — it stays unlocked and anyone can drive off with it?

[muzika]

Yes, just like when you leave a key for any car inside the car.