Video: Elderly man caught keying car in shopping centre

A video of an elderly man keying a car has gone viral online – with the owner of the car posting the footage on social media and asking for public assistance in identifying the offender.

In the Facebook post, the driver of the vandalised vehicle said the incident happened on 3 March 2024 at Uni Hill shopping centre in Bundoora – a suburb approximately 15km northeast of Melbourne.

In the video, the elderly man can be seen walking with a cane towards the car and sliding the key in his hand across the side panel of the vehicle while looking around.

The vandal returns moments later with a newspaper in hand before walking out of the frame.

The viral video which has gained over 79,000 views was met with a range of responses – with some online users condemning the act and others questioning the legality of the car’s parked location.

“I can’t believe what I’m seeing, I am disgusted,” one user remarked while another said, “he shouldn’t be keying cars but are you parked in a parking spot or clearway?”

According to Victoria laws, any person found guilty of intentionally damaging another person’s property “without lawful excuse” can face a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.