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Cars are getting smarter and smarter.  Unfortunately, criminals are too.  Luckily, at least in this case, the cars are outpacing the bad guys in terms of intelligence.

According to the ArkLaTex Homepage, the latest battle of wits between swindler and smart-car just happened in Slidell, Louisiana - and it seems like this time 4 wheels (and a pretty sweet array of high-definition cameras) beats 2 legs and a lie.

The "Victim's" Claim

As far as the authorities with the Slidell Police Department are concerned, this whole ordeal started on Friday (September 3rd) when they responded to a hit and run call at a local gas station.  When they arrived, they spoke with 47-year-old Arthur Bates Jr. who claimed to be the victim.  According to responding officers, Bates said he had sustained  "back, leg and neck injuries, resulting in an ambulance and fire truck to be dispatched to the location.”  Bates said that he was struck by a Tesla, and the vehicle's owner just fled the scene after backing into him.

The Hidden Camera Sees All

What Bates may not have know is that almost all Tesla vehicles come outfitted with more cameras than a television studio - including some really good, rear-facing ones.  Police were able to locate the Tesla's owner who was more than happy to cooperate with authorities.  The unnamed driver of the all-electric vehicle shared the video with investigators, who took one look and decided to arrest the man who had been claiming to be the victim.

Take a Look for Yourself

Take a look at the car's video (shared on the Slidell Police's official Facebook page) for yourself below.  Police say that it shows Bates staging the accident from start to finish.

After seeing this video, Slidell police immediately arrested Bates on 1 count of False Swearing with the Intent to Cause an Emergency Response.