Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with what appeared to be an armed kidnapping, but was actually a prank, police said.

Officers of the Aurora detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police made the arrests after a worried caller reported an incident in Markham on Thursday, the OPP said in a statement.

A potential kidnapping was reported shortly after 12:30 p.m. when police were told about a vehicle driving northbound on Highway 404, according to the statement issued Friday.

The caller told police that a passenger was holding a hand-written sign that read: "Help me - He has a gun."

The witness kept the vehicle in sight as it exited the highway at Mulock Drive, police said. It was located by police, who searched the vehicle but found no weapon.

Police said the event was a prank perpetrated by the two occupants of the vehicle.

Georgi Power, 41, and James Blake, 43, both of Orangeville, were arrested and charged with public mischief. Both were released on a promise to appear in court.