Four people have been arrested for a fake kidnapping prank, according to New York State Police.
Police said they received a report on Jan. 7 around 1 p.m. that a vehicle was traveling on the I-87 Northway in Saratoga County with a passenger who was displaying a handwritten sign that said “help!! being kidnapped!!” A vehicle matching a 911 caller’s description was located on the highway in Malta, N.Y., and stopped by police during a “significant law enforcement response” that caused a temporary shutdown of I-87 southbound.
The 18-year-old driver and three passengers were removed from the vehicle and detained. An investigation determined that all four of them were aware of the sign displayed as an alleged “joke” and that no kidnapping occurred.
Jasmine R. Barber, 20, of Champlain, N.Y., Emily R. Ferdinandi, 20, of Champlain, N.Y., and two 18-year-olds involved were each charged with Falsely Reporting an Incident in the third degree. The names of the driver and the other 18-year-old were not disclosed; Barber and Ferdinandi were passengers.
They were arrested and transported to State Police of Saratoga for processing. Each was issued a ticket to appear in Malta Town Court on Feb. 5 and released.
“State Police wants to emphasize that falsely reporting a kidnapping is not a prank or a mistake; it’s a serious crime with real consequences,” NYS Police said. “When a false any false emergency report is made, emergency responders rush into action, diverting police, medical, and rescue resources away from people who may genuinely need help. Families and communities experience fear and trauma, and in some cases, false reports can even put officers and bystanders in danger.”
Malta is located in Saratoga County, about 25 miles north of Albany and 150 miles south of Champlain.