Teen detained for Instagram shenanigans

Officials also scrutinize actions of boys who allegedly recorded the crimes

A would-be Instagram star hoping to catapult himself into Internet stardom by stripping down to his underwear and causing havoc by dumping a Slurpee on his head, stealing bowling pins, chicken and pizza and allegedly destroying liquor bottles at a store has been detained by local sheriff’s detectives.

“Our COBRA detectives did detain a 14-yearold boy this morning in conjunction with some

Instagram videos widely circulated in the community on theft and vandalism charges,”

Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, said referring to the sheriff’s Career Offenders, Burglary, and Robbery Apprehension Team.

Detectives are now scrutinizing the actions of the boys who allegedly recorded the antics of the 14-year-old.

“There was a videographer involved recording what this kid was up to so we’re working on that,” Lt. Ignacio Somoano said Thursday.

“It’s important for the community to know that when you post things online, you may think that you’re posting to your friends and your accounts. You can have a private account and

you may think that your friends are the only ones going to see it,” Miller said.

“But, in reality, there’s what we call an invisible audience where other people see your post and your friends share that post and the circle gets larger and larger,” she said. “That is a perfect example of what happened this past weekend.”

The detained boy was sought this past week by detectives following up on four reports of theft.

Detectives with the sheriff station’s Career Offenders, Burglary, and Robbery Apprehension Team – or COBRA, detained the boy at the station Thursday morning, Miller said.

“There is just one arrest so far,” she said, describing the case as a “still active, ongoing investigation.”

The stunts involved two boys who recorded the antics of a third boy as he brazenly marched into storefront businesses on Lyons Avenue, near Peachland and Apple streets.

The would-be Instagram star was, according to the comments posted in response to his antics online, egged on by a fan base of Instagram commenters.

The young aspiring celebrity is dared by his commenters to perform a variety of stunts for the camera, all at the inconvenience, harassment and expense of others.

Four distinct stunts were carried out, recorded and posted online last weekend. A fifth stunt carried out by the same teen allegedly involved the destruction of liquor bottles inside a Newhall liquor store Tuesday.

Detectives with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station have been investigating the incidents since Monday.