A Florida man was arrested after trying to deceive a police officer with a fake artificial intelligence-generated video showing a break-in of a patrol car.Authorities say Alexis Martínez-Arizala, 25, approached an officer inside a College Sporting Goods store in Lake Mary and claimed several people were outside breaking into the officer’s marked vehicle.To support his claim, he played a short video on his phone that appeared to show the suspect entering a patrol car. However, when deputies rushed outside to check, there were no signs of damage or theft.Investigators later reviewed store surveillance video and determined no one approached the vehicle, according to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. The video was determined to be an AI-generated deepfake intended to stage the incident.The false statement still triggered a true emergency response, and the deputy treated the situation as an active intrusion.Police said Martinez-Arizala made the video to gain attention online. He has about 220,000 followers on TikTok and regularly posts content involving artificial intelligence pranks. He had earlier uploaded at least two similar videos targeting police.He was later tracked down and arrested in Puerto Rico. He is expected to be extradited back to Seminole County and will be held on $7,000 bail, authorities said.He now faces multiple charges, including falsifying evidence, making false reports to law enforcement and providing false information about a crime.Sheriff Dennis Lemma said this was a blatant misuse of artificial intelligence: “The misuse of artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos is increasingly concerning, especially when it targets public safety professionals.”He added: “These fabricated videos have the potential to damage reputations, create unnecessary tension and create real safety concerns for first responders serving our communities. As this technology becomes more readily available, we take crimes like this seriously and will take action to protect targets in our communities, including private citizens and the public safety professionals who work every day to keep our residents safe.”“In Canada, YouTuber Fique Ayub was arrested after yelling “gun” in a crowded movie theater, while TikToker Heston James faces up to nine years in prison for a series of destructive pranks in Arizona.
