15 Arrests So Stupid They Made Us Lose Faith In Humanity

In May 2026, a Texas man was taken into custody after he drove his Tesla Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake to allegedly test the vehicle’s “Wade Mode” feature. 

After the local police responded to a 911 call at Katie’s Woods Park Boat Ramp and found the vehicle partially submerged in the middle of the lake, they questioned the owner-driver about how the accident happened.

He admitted that he deliberately drove the Tesla into the lake to test how the feature would perform. He was then arrested on charges of several water-safety equipment violations and also for operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park or lake.

“Wade Mode” allows the car to “enter and drive through bodies of water, such as rivers or creeks”, according to Tesla’s Cybertruck manual. The maximum wade depth is approximately 32 in (815 mm), measured from the bottom of the tire. 

To enable the feature, drivers must fully close all doors and windows, reduce the vehicle’s speed to less than 20 mph, and then drive at 1-3 mph through the water.

Image credits: Tesla

The manual also warned about properly gauging water depth before driving into water and about not driving in deep or fast-flowing bodies of water, such as those with strong currents or rapids. 

While some people were compassionate, most trolled the driver for going too far with his vehicular experiment. Many reactions reflected general disapproval of Cybertrucks, owing to their unconventional design and the controversial public image of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. 

“Stick it in some rice; it’ll be alright,” one person joked. Another said, “Where is the human brain? Guess it was on vacation and left the wallet at home.”

“Hope he didn't get shocked or electrocuted,” wrote a third. A fourth said, “Looks better floating in a lake than it does on the road.”

A Colorado man reached for a career goal too high for his rap sheet, and he found it out the hard way. 

On April 2, the Commerce City Police Department (CCPD) shared a Facebook post about a man who applied to become a police officer but failed the required background check. 

According to the CCPD, the applicant had “six pages worth of criminal history, including habitual traffic offenses and a recent domestic violence case,” as well as an active warrant for his arrest.

“You clearly have trouble following the law… so what makes you think you should be enforcing it?” the CCPD wrote in the Facebook post. 

The man allegedly applied for a job at the CCPD despite his situation and then took a ride-along with the agency. The cops discovered his criminal history at this point and lured him in with a false invitation to “chat about his application.”

He was taken into custody upon arrival.

“While walking him down to booking, he asked if his arrest would negatively impact the hiring process,” the post read. “While we admire the passion and persistence, buddy, we have a feeling the only pair of handcuffs you'll be getting are the ones around your wrists.”

Netizens had a field day reacting to the post, but some also called out the police department for publicly making fun of the man after denying him the opportunity. 

“I have a misdemeanor and got denied a shift lead position at a bagel shop. What did this dude think was gonna happen?” one person said.

Another wrote, “So he basically turned himself in.”

“This man is trying to maybe turn his life around, and you are clowning him and making a mockery of him,” said a third. 

“At least he was trying… maybe you guys could help guide him instead of publicly shaming and embarrassing him,” commented a fourth.

In April 2026, security employees at a Best Buy outlet in Pasadena, California, called the police in the middle of the night after a live CCTV feed showed a man walking inside the store. 

Upon arrival and gaining access to the store with the help of an employee, the cops found 45-year-old Patrick Keys roaming the aisles. 

There were no signs of forced entry and no reports of any stolen items recovered from Keys. However, he was still taken into custody and arrested on burglary charges.

It was believed that he stayed inside the store and kept himself hidden when the gates were closed for the night. 

Image credits: Google Maps

At the time of the incident, a group of Pokémon enthusiasts had camped outside the outlet to be the early birds for a card drop. Their presence prompted speculation that Keys was there for the same reason. 

One of the campers told NBC Los Angeles that they were waiting for a Pokémon 151 drop. 

Pokémon 151, officially Scarlet & Violet-151, is a special trading card expansion of the franchise, released in 2023. It is unique because it features all 151 of the original Kanto Pokémon.

Because the set's primary print run has ended, sealed products are now driven primarily by secondary collector markets. They are occasionally available online or at stores like Target and Best Buy, which periodically announce in-store inventory drops.

Image credits: Erik Mclean/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

“I was just here for some Pokémon drop, but I went to the restroom. Not even 15 minutes, and I come back, and there were cops everywhere,” one female camper said. 

Many netizens mocked Keys for being a Pokémon fan as a “grown adult.” In contrast, others labeled him a “scalper” — a person who buys high-demand merchandise at retail prices with the sole intention of reselling at highly inflated prices. 

“Thank god people like this are getting the cards instead of children. The world is a better place when 40+ year old dudes have every item,” one person joked. 

“He was hiding inside because it’s embarrassing to be seen waiting outside for Pokémon cards,” wrote another. “These aren’t even fans. They’re scalpers,” commented a third. 

In June 2026, British media outlets reported that a 48-year-old man, Damon Bennett, and a 51-year-old woman, Tricia Coley, from Williamsburg, Kentucky, were arrested after authorities found narcotics inside multiple bags they were carrying. 

The investigation began when their car was spotted in an “Employees Only” parking space of a local business in London, Kentucky, at around 11:30 a.m. on June 18. 

During interrogation, Croley allegedly gave the police a plastic bag containing contraband and another that had some sort of tablets. The ID she showed the police for self-identification belonged to another female individual.

When the deputies searched the vehicle, they found a black bag containing a crystal-like substance, a bag of green leafy material, and several other items of substance paraphernalia. 

The bag was labeled “Definitely Not A Bag Full Of Dr**s,” according to reports.

Netizens had a field day over the label, flooding social media with jokes and memes.

“That is some Scooby-Doo-level villain shenanigans right there,” one person said. Another wrote, “In the box of the least brightest crayons…they are the piece of chalk.”

“An officer wearing a shirt that said ‘Definitely Not A Cop’ making the arrest would have made this story much better,” a third joked. 

“Did the bumper sticker say ‘Definitely An Employee?’” a fourth posted, referring to their parked vehicle. 


Image credits: Brevard County Sheriff's Office, Florida

“I bet the combination on their luggage is 1234,” another comment read.

Both Bennett and Croley were arrested on the spot and taken to the Laurel County Corrections Center. A check of Croley’s true identity showed she had an outstanding warrant, and so did Bennett.

Croley was arrested on the spot with four charges as of now: giving an officer false identification, possession of a controlled substance (first degree), possession of a controlled substance (third degree), and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia. 

Bennett was arrested on the charge of failure to appear stemming from a previous case. Jail records show he was released after posting a $100 bond.

Two other similar arrests have occurred in the last two years.

In October 2024, police officers pulled over a car that was reported stolen in Portland, Oregon, and found a bag inside with the same label. It contained 230g of narcotics, 79 fentanyl pills, and 3 fake oxycodone tablets. 

Reginald Reynolds and Mia Baggenstos, who were in the car, were arrested on charges of possession of a substance and a stolen vehicle.

A few months later, in January 2025, Florida’s Teryn Acri was arrested with a similar bag, only 10 days after she was released from jail on a $15,500 bond. 

A deputy searched a vehicle she was traveling in as a passenger after a K9 unit dog detected something amiss. Acri had a bag labeled “Definitely Not a Bag Full Of D**gs,” which contained narcotics and substance paraphernalia, including needles and digital scales. 

Her previous detention was also substance-related. 

“In Brevard County, we have zero tolerance for crime, especially when it comes to people putting poison out on our streets!” Sheriff Wayne Ivey wrote in a Facebook post at the time, condemning Acri’s earlier release on a “ridiculous” bond amount.

Jonathan Hackett, 41, was arrested on February 1, 2026, for allegedly breaking into a Little Caesars outlet in Kinston, North Carolina, and selling pizzas to customers. He previously worked at Little Caesars, though it is not clear whether at this branch or elsewhere. 

After Kinston Police Department officials arrived at the establishment, they found that Hackett had done so on “two separate occasions.”

“During the first incident, Hackett entered the business, prepared pizzas, sold them to customers, and kept the proceeds for himself,” the police said. He allegedly sold 10 pizzas and pocketed around $50. 

He tried to enter the store a second time later that day and encountered resistance from the employees on duty, sparking a physical altercation. 

Hackett was treated at UNC Lenoir for injuries sustained in the brawl and was taken into custody at the Lenoir County Jail with a $50,000 bond. His mugshot showed his right eye was completely swollen shut.

Image credits: Google Maps

He had been charged with three felony charges and a breaking-and-entering misdemeanor. He was also charged with violating the city’s curfew, which was in place at the time due to the winter storm. 

“It was very strange, you know, it’s nothing I’d ever heard of,” Kinston Police Chief Keith Goyette told the media. “It’s nothing we’ve ever seen, you know, in my 26 years of law enforcement here in Kinston. So, this was a head-scratcher and a first for us.”

Netizens largely showed sympathy for Hackett, with many arguing that he was trying to make ends meet, albeit in a creative but non-legal way. 

“I respect the hustle, man, free bro,” one comment read. Another said, “They say people don't want to work anymore. This man is highly motivated and career-oriented.”

“If he doesn't have a history of related events, the courts should reduce any charges, make him pay back the money, do community service, and allow him to redeem himself,” one user suggested, adding that he should get the chance to pursue his own entrepreneurship.

31-year-old Blake Brehmer found out the hard way that selling fake contraband is a crime that can land one in jail. 

The Indiana man was taken into custody in June 2026 after he allegedly sold kosher salt to an undercover law enforcement officer, claiming the salt was m*thamph***mine. 

Kosher salt is a coarse-grained, minimally processed salt with large, flaky crystals, named for its use in koshering meat. 

According to reports, Brehmer met the undercover cop on June 15 to sell him the substance in exchange for money, arranged by the law enforcement department. The officer was wearing a hidden recording device during the transaction to capture Brehmer in the act on video. 

Image credits: Artem Shadrin/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

The substance Brehmer gave later came back negative for narcotics. Brehmer later confessed that it was kosher salt. 

He was arrested on felony charges of dealing in a substance represented to be a controlled substance and money laundering. They carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison. 

Some netizens pointed out that Brehmer was arrested despite not actually selling any illegal substance. 

“We’re getting booked for pretend crimes now?” one person said. “Is he getting arrested for fraud?” another said.

25-year-old Antone Glionna drove to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office headquarters in May 2026 to pick up a friend who was being released from the facility after a DWI arrest. 

Instead of driving his friend home, Glionna ended up behind bars after driving into a restricted area rather than parking in the public zone. 

Authorities said Glionna appeared inebriated and failed the subsequent sobriety tests. He was arrested and charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, driving with a BAC of 0.08% or higher, and an unlicensed operator infraction.

On top of all that, it came to light that his driver’s license had already been revoked because of a previous DWI and chemical test refusal. 

“That's my kind of super-friend. He knew the risks and still went on that rescue mission,” one netizen said. 

“He certainly did the cops a favor,” another joked. “Wouldn't the police's job be so much easier if all criminals committed their crimes in the jail parking lot?”

Social media is not the best place to overshare, but sometimes the habit helps law enforcement officers do their jobs. 

Reports in January 2026 claimed that Jordan L. McCorvery, 32, robbed a mail carrier in Ohio in November 2025 and proceeded to share several Instagram stories showing a few of the stolen documents. 

He and an accomplice allegedly intercepted the vehicle on its regular delivery route, pulled out a knife, and demanded access before stealing a tray of mail addressed to locations in the Reynoldsburg ZIP code.

Among the posted photos were letters from banks, including one statement showing a $50,102 balance and another with an attached debit or credit card. He also posted a picture of himself in front of a Wells Fargo ATM. 

Image credits: Syda Productions/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

“Reynoldsburg, Ohio” appeared on at least one mail piece.

These social media posts led the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to consider him a suspect. 

In December, Gahanna police observed a vehicle connected with McCorvey in front of a USPS collection in the shopping plaza at 445 Agler Road. When pulled over, four people fled. 

One who was apprehended was found to have a USPS arrow key capable of opening collection boxes. 

McCorvery, whom the authorities labeled a “known mail thief,” was arrested at a nearby address. Five different identification cards and drivers’ licenses, and two debit cards were found on him. None of them was in his name. 

He was charged with mail theft, possession of stolen mail, and obstruction of official business and held in jail on probation violations.

In January 2026, 18-year-old Isaac M. Hurley decided to remain inside a Walmart outlet after the store was closed for views on TikTok and ended up in prison. 

Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call an hour before midnight on January 13 after a 911 caller alleged that a man was still inside a Walmart on McCall Road. 

The cops found Hurley in the dog bed section of the store. 

Authorities said he entered the store around 10:15 p.m. and planned to remain overnight to complete a TikTok trend called “24-Hour Fort Overnight Challenge.” He also removed an iPhone charger from its packaging to charge his device while livestreaming his stay. 

Participants in this challenge attempt to crash into closed businesses after hours and make a “fort” with appropriate materials to hide out all night. Starting in 2023, videos of this trend have reportedly garnered over 400,000 likes. 

Image credits: Solen Feyissa/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

He was arrested on charges of burglary of an occupied structure and petit theft. He was held in the Charlotte County Jail and later bonded out for $1,500. 

Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell slammed such internet trends in a stern statement.

“I’m not sure why people buy into these social media challenges when they are clearly encouraging you to violate the law,” he said. “From the ‘kicking in the front door’ challenge to the destruction of public property thing a couple of years ago, to now something as silly as this, young people, especially, are putting themselves in bad situations and paying the price for it.”

“Why aren’t any of these challenges aimed at making the world better? Imagine mobilizing an entire generation to do positive things — the impact that could have,” he added. “Instead, we are busy arresting people for making poor choices just to get views and likes. It’s a shame.”

“It's always TikTok challenges... Got these dumb kids doing dumb things, getting them in trouble or hurt,” one netizen joined in on the criticism. One said, “It's clear common sense isn't that common these days.”

“Probably trying to get Walmart to go back to 24 hours,” joked another, referring to the retail chain’s pre-COVID-era hours.

“I want you to get a full look at a lady who I’m sure was born with all her brain cells, but she has fried them all, and she’s operating on about two half cells.” 

That is how Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd introduced in a video 48-year-old Gina Redding of Lake Wales, who was arrested in June 2026 for carrying fentanyl, but not in a regular way. 

The incident began when Redding ignored a roadblock set up to allow utility crews to work on power lines and drove off, bypassing the deputy stationed to redirect traffic. She was stopped at the other end by a patrolling deputy, who issued a citation.

Displeased, Redding started following the patrol vehicle and allegedly dialed 911. Due to unlawful misuse of the emergency system, she was pulled over a second time, arrested, and was also issued a citation for illegally tinted windows. 

During a routine search of her vehicle, the police found marijuana. 

“But that didn’t explain why she was acting like this,” Sheriff Judd said. “So, we get her to the jail, and we put her through the scanning system.”

Image credits: gabort/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)

The scanner found trafficking amounts of fentanyl hidden inside her private parts, the Sheriff revealed: “Guess what, we find, in her ‘Virginia,’ 28 bags of fentanyl.”

“She says she doesn’t deal fentanyl, but it would certainly explain her conduct,” he continued. “We didn’t visit ‘Virginia’ any further. We just put her in jail.” 

Netizens were amused by Sheriff Judd's delivery of the news and played along. 

“We have just found the inaugural winner of the Nicholas W. Wilson Dumb Criminal of the Year award. There’s no possible crime that could top this, at least this year,” one person said. 

Another commented, “I didn't realize ‘Virginia’ had that much extra storage room.”

However, some thought that her behavior was a “cry for help” and that she was deliberately trying to get arrested.

“She definitely wanted out of that life and was asking for help the only way she could think of,” one reader said.

Confusion ensued at a bank in Woodsfield, Ohio, on an early December day in 2025 after the bank’s drive-thru pneumatic tube system brought in a bag of narcotics. 

These tube systems use vacuum air pressure to transport cylindrical canisters between a customer's vehicle and an indoor teller, moving cash, checks, or documents at high speed, propelled by blower fans.

The cops were called, and they found inside the parcel a “crystal-like substance consistent with m*th****etamine.”

An investigation led the Monroe County Sheriff's Office deputies to 46-year-old Jason G. Smith, whom they located in Wayne Township by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. 

Image credits: Google Maps

K-9 officers found additional suspected narcotics and illegal substance-related paraphernalia in Smith’s vehicle at the time of the arrest.

Smith allegedly sent the package of substance through the bank’s tube system by accident.

“Illegal d**gs don’t belong in bank drive-thrus — but they can be turned in at the Sheriff’s Office,” Monroe County Sheriff Derek Norman wrote on Facebook.

“No charges, no handcuffs, just help. We’d much rather safely take them off the street than see another unexpected ‘deposit.’”

“He wanted it to be kept in a safe place, I guess. His paranoia gives him trust issues,” one netizen joked about the situation. Another said, “What if the wrong teller got the shipment?”

A third joked, “Tipping culture has really gotten out of hand.”

In June 2025, Carlos Owens ended up in cuffs while trying to save his dog that got trapped inside a locked bathroom at Rockwell Park in Connecticut, as per reports. 

The police were called after the park employees realized someone was moving in the chimney of the park’s recreational facility. Firefighters joined the cops at the site and removed $5,000-$10,000 worth of building parts to free Owens, who was stuck near the flue at the base of the chimney. 

It is not clear whether Owens was trying to climb up or inch down the chimney, but he said he was attempting to enter the property to rescue his dog, who had been locked inside the building’s bathroom since the night before. 

Erica Benoit, community engagement coordinator for Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth, and Community Services, told the media that the building's bathroom doors are set to timers and lock automatically every night at 10 p.m. 

Other doors can be opened from the inside. 

Owens’ dog likely entered the bathroom sometime before 10 p.m., and its owner could not open the door after it locked on its own. 

Image credits: Bristol Police

“It is a bit of a crazy scenario,” Benoit said. “Our parks staff is working with the police department and the fire department to make sure that doesn’t happen again.” 

“If he had just contacted police in the first place, we might have been able to avoid the situation,” Benoit regrettably added.

Owens was arrested with charges of burglary, trespassing, and criminal mischief. He was later released on bond and ordered to appear in court on July 7. 

His dog was unharmed.

Netizens showed compassion for Owens and praised him for going the extra mile for his pet, even at his own detriment. 

“I'll just say he's a good dog dad, and I feel bad for this to happen,” one said. “Maybe we should try to find a better solution and let him clean up the park as his community service.”

“Does he have a white beard and a red suit?” one joked, referring to Santa Claus.

In October 2025, Florida’s Justin Farley was hit with federal charges for allegedly stealing scratched-off lottery tickets worth $7,000 from a St. Petersburg Circle K convenience store. 

The 43-year-old man was caught on the store’s CCTV opening “multiple cabinets” and taking the tickets before fleeing in a grey Hyundai Elantra, according to reports. Roughly 40 minutes later, he arrived at a 7-Eleven to redeem the tickets, but was unsuccessful. 

Farley then returned twice to the same store from which he had stolen the tickets and tried to cash in some of them. He failed both times. 

Image credits: United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida

After this, he drove back to the 7-Eleven wearing a black mask and pointed a fake Glock firearm at the counter employee, demanding access to the cash register. He stole $120 and a pack of Newports from the store. 

His face, actions, and the license plate on his car were captured on multiple surveillance cameras, allowing the authorities to catch up to him in May 2026. He was charged with commercial burglary and grand theft. 

He admitted to the robberies at both stores and now faces one count of interference with commerce by threat or violence. 

Reports claim that Farley has previous convictions for felony substance and firearm possession.

Johnny Yates, a 42-year-old Florida man, tried to throw cops off his trail using a rather straightforward tactic: a sign outside his house that said, “Johnny Yates does NOT live here!!”

It did not work. 

Yates, who the Polk County Sheriff’s Office wanted for aggravated battery, false imprisonment, and tampering charges, got cuffed after deputies showed up at his Lakeland home in October 2023.

They found the note written on a whiteboard in front of a window, with the “NOT” capitalized and underlined. 

“Gee…a dry-erase board never lied to us before — should we believe it?” the Sheriff’s office joked on Facebook after Yates’ arrest. 

“Enough was enough, and the ‘Surrender Smoke’ was dispensed inside the house, and four people exited the home, but no Johnny,” the statement continued. 

Image credits: Polk County Sheriff's Office

“Deputies called out some more, but still no response from Johnny, so a second helping of ‘Surrender Smoke’ was put inside the home to waft around a bit.”

Finally, deputies and K-9 Dexter entered the house and found Johnny hiding inside a modified chest of drawers.


Grady Judd is the Polk County Sheriff. 

“This is the kind of stuff you learn from Looney Tunes,” one netizen said about the incident. 

Yates was arrested again in January 2024 with five other suspects from the Lakeland home. Cops found trafficking amounts of narcotics and a firearm with its serial numbers removed at the residence. 

He was detained with six new charges on top of the existing nine felony convictions to his name.

46-year-old Nadi Jabari was arrested and charged with false personation of a law enforcement officer, unlawful use of blue light, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in June 2026. 

Jabari was driving a black Chevrolet Suburban with red and blue flashing lights, as seen on police cars, when he started trailing a car and attempted to pull the driver over.

The latter was an unmarked Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office vehicle being driven by an undercover deputy. 

Other deputies stopped Jabari before he could interfere with the undercover vehicle. Their body cam footage showed that they found an unlawful emergency light setup, a firearm, and another flashlight bar from Jabari’s car.

ABC News reported that Jabari said he was a school security guard and that he accidentally activated the emergency lights in his SUV.

“I couldn’t be a news anchor cause I couldn’t resist laughing at stories like this,” one user reacted to the incident, along with multiple laughing emojis. 

“No way a security guard has all those gadgets in his car. He has bad intentions,” said one concerned netizen.

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