AI Monkey Hoax Sends Newark Police on Wild Chase

Viral Photo Sparks Monkey Search in Newark

An image that appeared to show several monkeys gathered at an apartment complex in Newark sparked a flurry of online activity and official concern on Thursday. The picture, which was sent to the city via a 311 tip, depicted the primates near dumpsters at the Georgia King Village apartments. As the photo went viral, it prompted an immediate investigation by local authorities.

Authorities Respond to the Scene

Following the tip, both the Newark Police Department and Animal Control were dispatched to the location. Officials spent a significant part of the early afternoon conducting a thorough search of the area. The teams scoured the vicinity for any evidence of the monkeys, treating the report with the seriousness required for a potential public safety situation.

A Digital Hoax Uncovered

After an extensive but fruitless search, authorities turned their attention back to the photographic evidence. Newark Public Safety ultimately determined that the incident was likely a hoax and the image was not authentic. Officials concluded that the picture was probably created using artificial intelligence, designed to look realistic enough to trigger a response.

The Growing Concern Over AI Misuse

The incident left residents frustrated by the waste of public resources. "Use AI for the right things, not something like this," said Harriette Guity, who works near the building. She expressed concern that such hoaxes could lead to slower response times for genuine emergencies. "When something really does happen, officers are going to take their time coming out because it could possibly be AI, something that's false."

Another resident, Richard Chapman, shared this sentiment. "Having the police come over here for something that's not really real. It's wasting their time when they could be doing other things with their time," he said.

This was not the first false alarm. Newark Animal Control had also responded to a similar unconfirmed report of monkeys the previous day. While no monkeys were found in either case, Thursday's AI-driven incident remains under investigation.