If you’re planning on hopping in and out of Lowe’s to buy wire, you may soon have to deal with a new security measure.
Shoplifting has steadily been on the rise in the United States since 2021 and shows no signs of stopping. According to TikToker @terriblenameforatiktok, Lowe’s has devised a method to prevent would-be thieves.
In a viral clip that’s garnered over 117,000 views, he shows how wiring has been put under lock and key in Lowe’s. However, instead of waiting for an employee to arrive, the retailer has devised a new method to further track purchases.
Wires under lock and key
“So I just experienced something in our local Lowe’s. That we’re apparently the first in the country to have this — check this out,” he states.
Next, his video transitions to him standing inside a Lowe’s retailer. There’s a massive metal fence over an entire aisle of products. A placard insert that reads: “Need wire? Get started here,” along with a yellow arrow pointing to what is presumably an employee call button.
The TikToker then pans his camera over to reveal the rest of the shelves, which are also covered by the grate. Next, he focuses on a touchscreen call terminal where he can request an employee to come and unlock it for him. Afterward, he taps the phone option, and the machine asks for customers to input a phone number.
@terriblenameforatiktok whoa #lowes #home #improvement #department #store #electricians #trades #wire #gate #security #first #in #country #new #tech #technology #privacy #concern #wow #easy #yourewelcome #coming #soon #electrical #contractor #contractors #contractorsoftiktok #future #cable ♬ original sound – TerribleNameForATikTok
“What?” he says, a tinge of frustration and disbelief in his voice.
A text overlay in the clip reads: “FYI electricians that use Lowe’s.” Tthen he turns his recording device away from the touchpad so that he can put his phone number in. In the background, Eddie Money’s “Take Me Home Tonight” can be heard echoing throughout the store.
A text message
Upon inputting his phone number, following this, an hourglass icon appears on the screen: “You should receive an a access code via text in just a moment…”
At this point in the video, he waits. He subsequently backs away and stands to wait for an employee to contact him or arrive. The video then transitions to him sitting back in his car. According to him, he didn’t have to wait for a store worker to unlock the gate. Instead, he delineated the gate-unlocking process, which seems to involve customer monitoring.
He explains the process.
“I got a text message on my phone with a code in it. And I punched the code into the keypad, which has a camera on top,” he explains. “And the doors automatically open. I grab the wire that I needed and the keypad tells you to shut the gates.”
He concludes, “So I guess through the camera and your cell phone number, that’s how they deal with the security issues of wires being stolen? Pretty far out stuff.”
Thieves love wiring
There have been numerous reports of retail thieves heading into home improvement stores to cop some wiring. In December 2021, News 4 San Antonio reported on a man who pilfered “thousands of dollars’ worth of copper wire from Lowe’s.”
The outlet penned, “A man was arrested after allegedly walking out of two home improvement stores with huge bundles of copper wire without paying. Police charged Walter Miranda, 21, on Thursday with theft of copper under $20,000.”
Miranda had accounted for store greeters who check customers’ receipts upon exiting the store, it seems. According to the story, surveillance footage clocked Miranda loading up a shopping cart with “five rolls of copper wiring.”
Next, he proceeded to head to the store’s exit, where he presented a receipt. The bill of sale made it look like he already purchased the wiring. “Police said he then walked to the parking lot, loaded the copper wire, with an approximate value of $670, into his vehicle and took off.”
He later attempted the “same type of heist at a different Lowe’s location.” However, “an employee, who allegedly witnessed the theft, stopped Miranda and called police.”
A Redditor’s query
One Redditor who works at Home Depot wondered why “young fellas steal wires.” They asked fellow users on the platform why so many people seem drawn to thieving this particular item. Numerous commenters remarked that it’s due to the margins on copper wiring. “Copper. At least that’s the reason I’m CA. Steal the wire, strip it, and take it to a recycling yard and sell it. Luckily a lot of the yards near my store are requiring receipts for all copper brought in to them,” one responded.
CNBC penned back in 2013 why copper is so easy to move: The wiring is widely used. “Stolen copper is valuable as scrap because the metal is used for so many items—from fiber optics to plumbing to anything electrical—and the profits are tempting.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lowe’s via email and @terriblenameforatiktok via TikTok comment.
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