Last Updated on August 9, 2020, 10:13 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Alan and Alex Stokes, twins who are TikTok and YouTube video-makers were arrested after they allegedly staged two fake bank robberies for making a video.
During one of these incidents, an Uber driver was held at gunpoint by the police.
These twin brothers have a total of around 30 million followers, and they were charged with falsely reporting an emergency and false imprisonment.
The twins will face up to four years in prison if they are convicted.
The twins are accused of presenting themselves as criminals to the members of the public and an unsuspecting Uber driver on 15 October 2019 in Irvine, California.
In a YouTube video, they are seen running away from a building while wearing ski masks and carrying duffel bags which are filled with dollar bills.
They appear to ask bystanders to help them in the form of free car rides or clothes. The Uber driver had refused to give them a ride.
A member of the public, called the police as they thought that the twins were trying to steal the Uber driver’s car.
When the police arrived, they held the Uber driver at gunpoint. Later, it was found out that the driver was not involved.
A videographer was filming the incident for the purpose of being shared on social media.
At the time, police let the brothers go with a warning, some of which was included in their video.
However, Todd Spitzer, Orange Country district attorney said that the elaborate “prank” pulled by the brothers, had broken the law.
Spitzer said that these pranks are crimes which could have resulted in someone getting killed or seriously injured.
He added that the law enforcement officers are sworn to protect the public, and when 911 id called to report an active bank robbery, they would respond to protect lives.
However, he said that what they found was a twisted attempt of gaining more popularity on the internet by putting members of the public and police officers in danger unnecessarily.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
