New “borrowing” trend on TikTok sees users teaching others how to steal

A “borrowing” trend on TikTok is on the rise, which risks the number of shoplift cases rising as well, as people take to the platform to teach others how to essentially steal from retail stores.

Shoplifting is on the rise in the US. Some stores now have shoplifting as 2% to 3% of their total sales, which is up from 0.7 to 1% pre-pandemic, CNN reports.

At the same time, terms and hashtags about “borrowing” things from stores are soaring, with the hashtag “borrow tip and tricks” amassing 8.9 billion views on TikTok.

The trend of “borrowing” things sees people share their tips and tricks of how to “borrowing” things from major stores – but what exactly does that mean?

What is the “borrow tips and tricks” trend on TikTok?

TikTokers are using hashtags such as “borrow tips and tricks,” “borrowers,” and “borrowing items” to share tips and tricks on how to best steal things from major stores.

According to one viral clip, the most vulnerable retailers are Walgreens, Dollar Tree, and Walmart, while Target, Sephora, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton ranked among the hardest to pillage.

Most people also gave tips, such as what kind of items to focus on, and said to not steal from small businesses, ever. People are even sharing the stories of how they got caught.

In one of the more shocking clips with more than 7.1 million views, a Target employee who uploads under the handle yoofavhennny warned shoplifters about the perils of stealing at the same store multiple times.

While it may seem like the serial shoplifters are getting off scot-free while taking things that aren’t worth that much, she cautioned that the retailer is likely tracking their illicit activities.

They wait to bust them when the pilfered items’ value totals $950 — the threshold for felony charges per the Prop 47 law passed in 2014.

In January 2023, a video of a shoplifter went viral after her getaway car ditched her in the parking lot, leaving her to run from the police.