Hanoi woman indicted for scratching Mercedes blocking her driveway

The People's Procuracy in Hanoi's Area 4 has indicted Mai Thi Bich Van, a resident of Dai Mo Ward, for "intentionally damaging property." Authorities estimate the damage she had caused at VND6.8 million (US$260). The incident began on the evening of Jan. 18 when a woman named Ngoc parked her black Mercedes-Benz GLC 200 outside Van's home in the Nam Thang residential area. While there were no signs prohibiting parking on the street, the vehicle was parked directly in front of Van's gate. An hour later at about 8:20 p.m., Van opened the gate so her daughter could leave on her motorbike. Because potted plants lined both sides of the entrance, the position of the Mercedes completely blocked the motorbike from getting out. Angered by the obstruction, Van took a set of keys and scratched the front door of the car three times. She then attempted to forcefully bend the vehicle's left side mirror outward, even though it was already folded in. Van's daughter also struck the driver's side window with her helmet, though this left no visible damage. A nearby driver who witnessed the scene intervened, warning the women not to vandalize another person's property. Van and her daughter continued shouting angrily before Van used her keys to gouge 12 more scratches across various parts of the Mercedes. Unable to locate the car's owner or a contact number, Van's daughter eventually asked her father to move the potted plants so she could maneuver her bike out to the street. The family then deliberately placed two flower pots directly at the front and rear of the Mercedes. Their goal was to force the driver to knock on their door to speak with them upon returning. Van's husband also wrote two notes and attached them to the front and rear windshields. The notes read: "Parking in front of a homeowner's gate is inconsiderate. You should relearn traffic laws and road etiquette." Ngoc returned to collect her car at around 9:20 p.m. She quickly discovered the notes, the forced side mirror, and the extensive scratches on the paintwork. After removing the notes, she drove away, accidentally hitting the two flower pots. She reported the incident to local police later that night. Following an investigation, Hanoi police ordered Van's arrest and pretrial detention on Feb. 27. However, the Area 4 People's Procuracy rejected the detention request, opting instead to restrict Van from leaving her place of residence. Investigators determined that Van's daughter did not directly assist in the property damage and will not face criminal charges. She was, however, fined VND750,000 last month for using offensive language in public. During questioning, Van admitted to scratching the car with her keys. She apologized to Ngoc and offered to compensate for the damage. Ngoc refused the standard compensation and demanded that Van either purchase the damaged vehicle outright or pay VND200 million in compensation, an amount Van said she cannot afford. Ngoc justified her high demand to investigators by citing a manufacturer's repair quote of VND127.6 million. She also added VND5.2 million in taxi expenses and VND35 million per month for a rental car while the Mercedes is being fixed. If convicted, Van faces administrative fines ranging from VND3-5 million, or a potential jail term. The final penalty will be determined by authorities based on the exact extent of the property damage and the surrounding circumstances of the case.