4 Individuals Arrested In Capital Region for Staged Kidnapping Prank

"Help! Being kidnapped!!" Those are the words that were displayed on a sign in the window of a vehicle traveling on the Northway in Saratoga County. Problem is, nobody had been kidnapped.

Four individuals have been arrested for falsely reporting an incident. Here's what happened.

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On January 7, 2026, at approximately 1pm, New York State Troopers received a report that a vehicle was traveling southbound on I-87 Northway in Saratoga County with a passenger who was reportedly displaying a handwritten sign stating “help!! being kidnapped!!”.

During a significant law enforcement response, a vehicle matching the caller’s description was located on I-87 Northway in Malta, NY, and was stopped, causing a temporary shutdown of I-87 southbound.

An 18-year-old driver and 3 passengers were removed from the vehicle and detained. Further investigation determined that all individuals in the vehicle were aware that the sign was displayed as an alleged “joke” and no kidnapping had occurred.

Troopers arrested 20-year-old Jasmine R. Barber of Champlain, 20-year-old Emily R. Ferdinandi of Champlain, and two 18-year-olds . All four were arrested and transported to State Police Saratoga for processing.

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. 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.