Latest news with #HylandAutoRepair


New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
TikTokker with 1.6M followers busted for pranks disrupting businesses while making him big bucks online
A clout-chasing influencer is facing criminal charges for disrupting several Arizona businesses in pranks that likely made him big bucks online, according to authorities. Heston Cobb — known as 'Heston James' to his 1.6 million followers on TikTok — was arrested Wednesday at his home after months of disrupting local Tempe businesses during caught-on-camera staged pranks, the Tempe Police Department said in a statement. 3 Heston Cobb was arrested at his home Wednesday.. Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Advertisement From March to July 2025, Cobb and a group of pranksters walked into businesses like Pep Boys, Big Brand Tire, Jiffy Lube, and Chipotle dressed as employees, storming into staff-only areas and playing out fake work scenes, cops said. 'These men began seriously disrupting their businesses by entering employee-only areas and refusing to leave when asked,' police said. 'The videos garnered millions of views and potentially generated large amounts of money.' Advertisement In one stunt, Cobb dressed as a mechanic and barged into Hyland Auto Repair, telling a real employee he was 'from corporate' before a van of pranksters pulled up to the business and began to crawl under customers' cars, according to the social media post with over 12 million views. 'These videos are definitely not pranks. They are crossing the line from something that's fun and playful into criminal territory. They're breaking laws,' Tempe Police Officer Jessica Ells told AZ Family. 'They are going into these businesses and impersonating the employees. That actually is a felony charge.' 3 In one stunt, Cobb dressed as a mechanic and barged into Hyland Auto Repair, telling a real employee he was 'from corporate' before a van of pranksters pulled up to the business. Instagram/teraclout Advertisement Another video captured Cobb and a fake cleaning crew entering a Chipotle and grabbing random supplies while claiming they were there to clean. Real workers at the establishment screamed for them to get out while on the phone with cops as Cobb yelled at his group to 'get to work,' according to the Instagram post. Cobb was charged with five counts of disorderly conduct, five counts of criminal trespass, two counts of criminal impersonation, and one count of burglary, records indicate. 3 More arrests and charges could be pending. Tempe Police Department Advertisement The investigation remains ongoing, and more arrests and charges could be pending, AZ family reported. The department issued a warning to influencers chasing clout. 'This is actually going to get you charges, so are you ready to face the fact that you could be going to jail for a prank just to get some views?' Ells said, according to the outlet..


Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Dystopian moment hardworking mechanic's auto shop is overrun by huge mob of weapon-wielding 'pranksters'
A mob of people dressed as auto mechanics and armed with tire irons and other tools stormed an Arizona man's auto body shop, all in the name of a social media prank. David Hyland, 50, was at his Tempe-based Hyland Auto Repair shop on the afternoon of July 3 when two unfamiliar men approached the garage, boldly claiming that they planned to take over his business, AZ Family reported. Within seconds, more than a dozen people poured out of a white van and swarmed the shop's garage, leaving employees bewildered and fearing a potential crime. 'We didn't know if it was a robbery. We didn't know if they were going to start grabbing equipment,' Hyland told the outlet. 'We had no idea what was going on. It happened quickly,' he added. Security cameras captured the first two men approaching employees standing just outside the garage's entrance. The interaction took an unsettling turn when the men claimed they'd been sent to take over Hyland's business and a van suddenly sped up and screeched to a halt beside the puzzled group of mechanics. Hyland described what initially looked like an ambush as '20 guys with tire irons, impact wrenches, and screwdrivers' who ran inside and began inspecting cars and equipment, AZ Family reported. The tools were 'all items used to work on a car but can also be used as weapons,' he noted. 'We didn't know if they were grabbing stuff and stealing it or just filming a prank.' Beyond the threat of potential violence, Hyland also feared for the safety of those wreaking havoc inside his shop. 'I was very concerned,' he told the outlet. 'There are lots of things you could get tripped on, slip and fall, vehicles in the air - they physically climbed under vehicles, under the hoods,' he added. At this point, Hyland called the police and closed his shop for the day. He was also concerned for his customers, worried the intruders might have damaged the vehicles inside. 'All the vehicles that they did lean into or open the doors on, we did call our clients and have them come down and look at their vehicles to make sure nothing was damaged,' Hyland told AZ Family. Following the bizarre prank, the shop (pictured) closed for the day as Hyland and his team reviewed their inventory to ensure nothing had been stolen, then began reaching out to every customer whose car was inside Staff eventually discovered that the invasion was nothing more than a social-media stunt. Tempe police confirmed reports of a content creator pulling similar pranks at other businesses and said they are investigating, the outlet reported. The creator, who goes by Heston James on TikTok, has shared several videos to the platform showing stunts done at car dealerships and department stores. He did not respond to an inquiry from AZ Family.