TikTok 'troll' arrested after claiming to have a 'bomb' in an airport for viral prank

Imagine this: You’re ready for your vacation and are just about to finally go through TSA to the departure lounge when all of a sudden, the airport shuts down over a TikTok prank.

That’s not a good start to your sunny week abroad.

But unfortunately, that may have been the case for a lot of South Carolina holiday hopefuls when Thomas Anthony Brienza decided to play a not-so-smart prank.

We get it, pranks can be funny but there is a time and a place, Thomas.

This TikToker, who calls himself a ‘troll’ decided to flag himself as a bomb threat at the Charleston International Airport on 24 August.

The 20-year-old found himself quickly arrested for the serious offense but claims that it’s all a joke.

According to an incident report, the Charleston County Aviation Authority officers were present when Thomas strolled up to them and allegedly said he ‘didn’t want any problems’ and that he had a bomb on him.

He also claimed to have fentanyl in a car parked outside the building.

The weird thing is that he was wearing a pair of glasses with a built-in camera while performing his serious ‘prank’.

Once apprehended, he was found to not be in possession of a firearm or a bomb, even though he mentioned having a ‘strap’, which is a slang term for a gun.

That’s when Thomas gave up the information that he was simply pranking them for views on social media, and that there were no drugs, or illegal material in his car.

That’s a crazy prank, dude.

Despite the TikToker confessing that none of it was serious, he was placed in handcuffs and charged with possession or threatened use of a weapon of mass destruction.

He was then placed at the Al Cannon Detention Center and with a $100,000 bond.

But even though this prank is pretty out there, it’s not the first time Thomas has done something risky with police present.

On the very same day he was arrested, he posted a video where he showed himself admitting to a cop that he had been ‘drinking and driving’ and described himself as a ‘threat’ to the community.

While he may have gotten away with it that time, airport security is not the crowd to push when looking for a bomb joke.

If you thought being booked would stop him, it appears that the TomTheTroll (aka Thomas) account is still posting videos of him pretending to drink and drive and also some less serious pranks on the video platform.

Of course, it can’t actually be Thomas as he’s in a cell right now, but his followers are shook.

One person wrote: “Bro how did you get arrested.”

Another said: “Someone tell bro to call me.”

Someone else commented: “How long is thom getting in prison???”

So, not only has he left behind a life, but also nearly 300k followers who no longer have his videos to occupy themselves during the day.

UNILAD Tech reached out to the Charleston County Aviation Authority Police Department for comment.