SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNS) - Twin brothers popular on YouTube for videos featuring pranks were charged Wednesday with masquerading as bank robbers, prompting emergency calls to Irvine police.
Alan and Alex Stokes of Irvine, both 23, were each charged with a felony count of false imprisonment and a misdemeanor count of false reporting an emergency.
The two are accused of pulling off the pranks with a videographer on Oct. 15.
At about 2:30 p.m. that day, the twins dressed in black with ski masks and carried duffle bags stuffed with cash, masquerading as bank robbers, according to Kimberly Edds, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
With the camera operator in tow, they called for an Uber ride, but the driver refused service, Edds said.
A witness believing the pair had robbed a bank and were carjacking the Uber driver called the police, Edds said. Responding officers ordered the driver out at gunpoint, but when they eventually sorted out what happened they let the brothers go with a warning, Edds said.
Four hours later, the twins did the same thing on campus at UC Irvine, which prompted emergency calls again, Edds said.
A court date has not yet been scheduled and it was unknown if the duo had legal representation.
