TikTok Prankster Arrested in Arizona for Viral Videos Filmed Inside Local Businesses

A TikTok star in Arizona is facing serious charges after releasing a series of videos where he and some friends invaded area businesses.

In many of the videos — now unsurprisingly no longer on TikTok, though some survive on other platforms — Heston Cobb, known as "Heston James" to his followers, would pop up in stores, often with additional people. They would be dressed as employees and would pretend to work. Cobb is listed as being 21 years old in the Tempe Police Department's announcement, but Arizona court records for a person by that same name list his birthday as being in May, 2001, which would make him 24.

In other videos, he can be seen screaming while in different stores, and then pretending not to know where the screams come from when employees inquire.

According to Tempe police, business affected included Pep Boys, Hyland Auto Repair, Big Brand Tire & Service, Jiffy Lube, and Chipotle.

After receiving a number of complaints over several months, police said, they figured out that Cobb was behind the videos. They arrested him on Wednesday (July 23) and charged him with Burglary in the Third Degree, Criminal Impersonation, Disorderly Conduct, and Criminal Trespass.

"These videos are definitely not pranks," officer Jessica Ellis told AZFamily. "They are crossing the line from something that’s fun and playful into criminal territory. They’re breaking laws. They are going into these businesses and impersonating the employees. That actually is a felony charge.”

The owner of one of the businesses seen in Cobb's videos, David Hyland of Hyland Auto, told the same outlet, "Hopefully this will put pressure on Instagram, YouTube, and all of the other platforms to really look at what people are posting."