Police have arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of acting to the detriment of the public and publishing it online.
Police revealed that the arrest followed the launch of an investigation into the videos published online. According to the report, they promoted harmful activities to the public – unwanted approaches to passersby on the street or on public transportation, as well as entering properties without the owners’ express permission.
The videos, published by prankster SecretMizzy, have swept social media over the past week. His TikTok was shut down after one of the videos received more than 1.5 million views, and a YouTube account shared the same fate shortly thereafter.
Arresting SecretMizzy
Chief Superintendent James Conway of the Central East Command Unit of the London police said he has no plans to take unacceptable behavior lightly.
I do not underestimate the widespread upset, distress, and concern that these videos caused.
Some people have referred to these as ‘prank’ videos, but I hope that this significant development demonstrates just how seriously we have been taking this investigation since this footage began circulating online.
A number of these videos were produced, impacting on many different people and our investigation remains ongoing as we seek to build a strong picture of both the activity featured in the footage and impact on the public.
Earlier, an officer had reported that the man was tried to be detained many days earlier, but each time he was not at home.
He’s very well known around here and we’ve had to visit his home in the past to speak to him several times about his conduct. We can’t go into any details about the exact reason why we want to speak to him. I can’t say if any further action will follow.
SecretMizzy has commented on his arrest
The former TikToker shared his thoughts online about what he did and the arrest itself.
I’m a Black male doing these things and that’s why there’s such an uproar on the internet.
I don’t fake my pranks, but I always make sure to sort out the situation after if I feel like I went too overboard, but none of my pranks have malicious intentions behind them and most of the people in the pranks acknowledge that after I speak to them.
Controversy, even though it’s not good, is the best way to blow up on social media. I always know outrage is going to happen. I know exactly what I’m doing and the consequences of my actions… I tell people not to reciprocate what I’ve done.
Mizzy also explained some of his most controversial pranks, saying that the book he tore up in the library was his and that he apologized to the homeowners the day after barging into their apartment.