Social media influencer accused of disrupting several Tempe businesses: PD
Heston Cobb
TEMPE, Ariz. - Tempe Police say they have arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with a series of incidents that led to disruptions at businesses in the East Valley city.
What we know:
In a statement released on July 24, police identified the man they arrested as Heston Cobb.
"Between the months of March and July, businesses began reporting instances of a group of men coming into their stores dressed as employees. These men began seriously disrupting their businesses by entering employee-only areas and refusing to leave when asked," read a portion of the statement. "One man was identified as the ‘leader’ of the group, instructed the others to begin 'working.'"
Investigators say the alleged acts were posted on the social media pages of a person named "Heston James."
"The videos garnered millions of views and potentially generated large amounts of money," investigators wrote.
Tempe Police also provided links to two Instagram reels that captured the alleged acts.
Dig deeper:
Investigators say they started to link the cases after a series of such pranks took place in Tempe at the start of July, and they eventually connected Cobb to the alleged acts.
What's next:
Cobb, per police, was arrested at his home on July 23, and a search warrant was served. He is accused of five counts of criminal trespass, five counts of disorderly conduct, two counts of criminal impersonation, and one count of third-degree burglary.