A Florida man has been arrested for trying to fool police officers with a fake AI-generated video of a police car break-in.Authorities said 25-year-old Alexis Martinez-Arizara approached officers inside the Academy Sports store in Lake Mary and claimed that several people were breaking into a vehicle with police markings outside.To support his claim, he showed a short cellphone video of the suspect getting into a police car. However, when the deputy rushed outside to check, there was no sign of damage or theft.Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said investigators later reviewed surveillance footage from the store and determined no one approached the vehicle. The video turned out to be an AI-generated deepfake created to stage the incident.This false claim still triggered an actual emergency response, with the deputy treating the situation as an active intrusion.Police said Martinez-Arizala made the video to get attention online. TikTok has around 220,000 followers and regularly posts content, including AI-based pranks. He has previously uploaded at least two similar videos targeting police officers.He was later tracked down and arrested in Puerto Rico. Authorities said the suspect is expected to be extradited to Seminole County, where he will be held on $7,000 bail.He currently faces multiple charges, including fabricating evidence, making false reports to law enforcement, and providing false information regarding a crime.Sheriff Dennis Lemma said this was a blatant misuse of artificial intelligence, saying, “The misuse of artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos is of growing concern, especially when targeting public safety professionals.”He added, “These fabricated videos can damage reputations, create unnecessary tension, and pose real safety concerns for the first responders who serve our communities. As this technology becomes more accessible, we will take these types of crimes seriously and take action to protect those targeted in our communities, including both civilians and the public safety professionals who work every day to keep our residents safe.””In Canada, YouTuber Fik Ayub was arrested for shouting “gun” in a crowded movie theater, and in Arizona, TikToker Heston James could face up to nine years in prison for a series of destructive pranks.
