An arrest has been made after a TikToker posted a video of himself on social media spraying bug killer on produce at a Walmart in Mesa, Arizona, according to the Mesa Police Department.
Charles Smith, who goes by the username @WolfieKhaletti on TikTok, filmed himself spraying “Hot Shot Ultra Bed Bud and Flea Killer” on bananas, potatoes, lemons, limes and rotisserie chickens before the 27-year-old shared it with his 350,000 followers on TikTok.
Smith ‘Intended to Film Pranks for Social Media’
After the now-deleted video went viral, Tempe and Mesa police opened an investigation against Smith and contacted him. Smith then turned himself in. He was later charged with introducing poison, criminal damage, endangerment, and theft, according to the MPD.
According to police, Smith entered the Walmart on Stapley Drive “intending to film pranks for social media” on Dec. 19 around 8:30 p.m., but instead took a can of the bug killer from a shelf without paying for it and sprayed its contents on the produce that was on sale.
Mesa police have previously arrested Smith on charges including shoplifting, theft of means, false report, according to court documents. There was also an active warrant against Smith in Tempe for failure to appear.
Walmart Issues Statement
Mesa police said they notified the store management and said “any produce that may have been affected has been removed from all areas accessible to the public.”
A Walmart spokesperson issued the following statement in the wake of the incident.
“The health and safety of our customers and associates is always a top priority. We have removed all directly impacted product and have cleaned and sanitized the affected area of the store. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our customers as we work to resolve this issue. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement during their investigation.”
Although it may seem like Smith is just a prankster who loves to cause trouble, he says that these social media stunts make money. According to court documents, Smith calls himself a “troll,” and says that stunts like the one he was arrested for help him make $6,000 to $10,000 a month. As of Monday, Smith’s TikTok account was removed.
