Apr 09, 2014 05:15 PM EDT
Smart Car Tipping in San Francisco: Prank or Social Statement?

Some San Francisco residents apparently aren't fans of the Smart car.

Authorities are investigating four incidents in the same week where vandals pushed Smart cars onto their headlights, rear bumpers or sides, similar to "cow-tipping," The Guardian reported.

The four vehicles were discovered between 1 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Monday morning. Police have launched a felony vandalism investigation, but they don't have any clear suspects yet.

The most witnesses could tell them was that six to eight people dressed in black were responsible for the car-tipping episodes.

"They looked like they were up to no good," witness Brandon Michael told NBC affiliate station KNTV-TV, saying the group was dressed in hooded sweatshirts. "And sure enough, they huddled around it and lifted [the car] up."

While Smart cars aren't necessarily easy to push over, they are substantially lighter than other vehicles, a CNN report noted. Most Smart cars weigh around 1,800 pounds, while a car like a Ford Explorer can weigh as much as 4,500 pounds.

If the car-tipping suspects are captured, they could face jail time and felony charges.

Authorities haven't outlined a possible motive for the dangerous pranks since they haven't been able to hunt down any suspects yet.

"It's hard to determine a motive without any suspects identified or in custody," Police spokesman Gordon Shyy told The Associated Press.

While it isn't clear what sparked the vandalism, the Smart car incidents could be a statement on the tension between the area's exploding technology industry and other locals.

"It is unclear whether the stunts this week were pranks, or a wider statement on the escalating divisions between Silicon Valley's tech workers, who have been blamed for escalating living costs in San Francisco, and other residents," said The Guardian.

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