You're just chilling at an art gallery when all hell breaks loose: A robbery occurs. Masked men burst in and steal a painting, sending people scattering in all directions.Moments later, you learn that the whole thing is just a prank. Hours later, you find out that that day's stunt has been immortalised and shared on YouTube to a following of over 700,000 people.That's what happened to a bunch of bewildered gallery-goers in London in July 2015 when YouTube vloggers from Trollstation—a channel focused on pranks—burst into the London's National Portrait Gallery with tights over their faces during a fake heist.But the "fun" has been short-lived, as four Trollstation YouTube pranksters eager for their slice of internet fame yesterday saw their online careers interrupted.The City of London Magistrates' Court handed them short-term jail sentences in connection to the fake robbery at the National Portrait gallery and a similar heist at the Tate. Police have criticised the group for carrying out such raids in the wake of bombings in Tunisia.Since the group started filming and uploading its controversial London-based pranks on YouTube, its channel has racked up a substantial 721k following.Describing itself as "a collective of social misfits playing mad mind games on the public," the group writes that its content is "intentionally provocative and controversial with the aim to get reactions from the general public in the name of comedic Satire."In a statement, the National Portrait Gallery confirmed that "none of its visitors or staff were physically harmed and nothing was stolen or vandalised," but that four men were arrested later under the Public Order Act.The men were jailed for a total of 72 weeks, with all four pleading guilty to two counts of using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.Detective Constable Anthony Parker from the Metropolitan Police condemned the members' actions as "outrageous," especially at a time when there is "heightened awareness of the terrorism threat facing the UK."Following their trial, members of Trollstation told the BBC that they'd never "aimed to get away with breaking the law."They also asserted they were "a big influence" and tried to "use that positively."
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