A bizarre scene unfolded on University Avenue in San Diego, California, after a man was caught on camera allegedly stealing a tractor and driving it through the city in broad daylight. The footage has since gone viral on TikTok, leaving many viewers stunned by what they were watching.
The footage was posted by TikToker @hamhandle, who has a modest following on the platform. Despite that, one of his latest uploads has gone viral, racking up more than 523,000 views, 67,000 likes, and over 1,100 comments. The unusual clip has also gained traction over on Reddit as well.
In the video, a yellow excavator can be seen driving away from a construction site on University Avenue. Its boom and bucket remain lowered, sending sparks flying as the bucket scrapes along the road as it heads towards a KFC restaurant. The driver appears to weave across the street in an erratic manner, with the excavator’s lights switched on despite the incident unfolding in broad daylight. Overlaid text on the clip reads: “Homeless person steals tractor on University Ave. San Diego.”
Police later arrested 28-year-old Liam Quigley on suspicion of vehicle theft and two counts of vandalism after bringing the excavator to a stop, according to NBC San Diego.
Viewers Weigh In
The unusual footage quickly sparked a wave of reactions across TikTok and Reddit, with many viewers struggling to believe what they were seeing.
On TikTok, one of the most-liked comments simply read, “deeper meaning to this,” suggesting the bizarre incident reflected something larger than an isolated theft. Others speculated about the man’s motives, with one user writing, “he wants to get arrested so he can get some sleep, a meal, and get out of the heat.” Another jokingly quipped, “He’s going to fix the sewage issue in Imperial Beach.”
Over on Reddit, many users leaned into the absurdity of the situation. One commenter joked, “Clearly an homage to the tank rampage! Good work!” while another imagined the excavator was “Heading towards KFC for some XL buckets of chicken and scoops of mashed potatoes.”
Elsewhere, some commenters focused on how the excavator was allegedly able to be taken in the first place. One person wrote, “Insane oversight leaving the keys in a place where the vehicle could be started when no one is on site. Someone’s definitely getting fired lmfao,” prompting another to reply, “These are easy to steal without the keys, just like an old 89 Chevy S10 lol no keys needed and you just turned the ignition.”
Although the suspect is now in custody, the bizarre incident continues to generate discussion online as the footage reaches more viewers.
