A Florida man was arrested after trying to trick a police officer with a fake AI-generated video showing a patrol car being broken into.Authorities say 25-year-old Alexis Martinez-Arizala approached a deputy inside the Academy Sports store in Lake Mary and claimed several people were breaking into the officer’s marked vehicle outside.To support his claim, he showed a short video clip on his phone showing the suspects entering the patrol car. However, when the deputy rushed outside to check, there was no sign of any damage or theft.According to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, investigators later reviewed store surveillance footage and confirmed that no one approached the vehicle. The video was identified as an AI-generated deepfake video created to depict the incident.The false claim still sparked a true emergency response, with the deputy treating the situation as an active break-in.Police said Martinez-Arizala created the video in an attempt to attract attention online. He has around 220,000 followers on TikTok and regularly posts content featuring AI-based pranks. He had uploaded at least two similar videos targeting police officers earlier.He was later tracked down and arrested in Puerto Rico. He is expected to be extradited to Seminole County, where he will be held on $7,000 bail, authorities said.
He now faces multiple charges, including fabricating evidence, filing a false report to law enforcement, and providing false information about a crime.Sheriff Dennis Lima said this is a blatant misuse of AI: “The misuse of AI to create deep fake videos is a growing concern, especially when targeted at public safety professionals.”He added, “These fabricated videos can damage reputations, create unnecessary tensions, and raise real safety concerns for first responders who serve our communities. With increased access to this technology, we take these types of crimes seriously and will take action to protect those targeted in our community, including everyday citizens and public safety professionals who work every day to keep our residents safe.”
“In Canada, YouTuber Vic Ayoub was arrested after shouting “gun” in a crowded movie theater, while TikToker Heston James faces up to nine years in prison for a series of disruptive pranks in Arizona.
