In a bizarre turn of events, two staff members at Rubin’s Deli & Restaurant in Elyria, Ohio, have found themselves in hot water after allegedly creating a fake robbery report with the help of ChatGPT.
A local police report revealed that around 9:15 AM on December 15, responders were called to the scene due to alarming claims of a robbery involving several masked individuals. But when law enforcement arrived, they discovered a normal day at the deli, with customers casually dining and no signs of trouble.
Key Points to Note
- Staff at Rubin’s Deli made a prank call that led to a heavy police response.
- The call turned out to be based on AI-generated content.
- Todd Durst was promptly arrested at the scene but Luis Acevedo Jr. is still at large.
According to the Elyria Police Department, officers reacted swiftly to the distressing report, deploying multiple patrol units and detectives due to the potential threat to public safety. Local news outlet Cleveland19 provided details on the speedy response but indicated that officers found nothing out of the ordinary when they reached the restaurant.
It quickly became apparent that the robbery was a PRANK orchestrated by the restaurant staff. The police statement confirmed that the incident stemmed from a social media trend where individuals use AI technologies to create shocking and false information.
The individuals involved were recognized as Todd Durst, who was arrested on-site, and Luis Acevedo Jr., who managed to flee before officers arrived. Durst faces multiple charges including swatting, which is a fourth-degree felony, blocking official business (also a fourth-degree felony), and inducing panic, which is a misdemeanor. He has since been held at Lorain County Jail, waiting for his first court appearance.
The police recounted how Durst claimed he generated a deceptive image using ChatGPT, which he then forwarded to Acevedo Jr., who passed it along to their boss. The restaurant owner, believing in the dawn of a real robbery from a ‘security footage’ depicting masked suspects, immediately alerted the police. This so-called ‘evidence,’ submitted into police records, showed a view from multiple cameras with individuals in masks and blue gloves.
Police issued a stern warning: “Crafting fake emergencies as practical jokes is not benign; these are serious criminal actions that can have serious implications. Such false alerts drain essential services from legitimate emergencies and threaten community well-being. All parties involved will be vigorously prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Read the original article on People
