The future is here, and your video-equipped doorbell could alert you of the return of your missing robotic vacuum.
That’s exactly what happened in a video that by Monday amassed nearly 20 million views and 3.5 million likes as of midday Monday. TikToker @betzyproduction shows her Roomba leaving her house in a video captured on her Ring Camera.
Text on the video says, “Couldn’t find my Roomba for 2 days and then saw this on the Ring camera.” The caption says, “Come back!”
@betzyproduction Come back! #freedom #escape #roomba #joke #funny ♬ Freedom! ’90 – George Michael
Viewers of the video, which was accompanied by George Michael’s “Freedom! ‘90,” were quick to point out the hilarity of the situation.
Explaining what happened in the comments section, Betzy said, “We had my front door open because we were putting Christmas decorations in and out all day. [The Roomba] normally stops at the stairs.”
Thankfully, she managed to recover the Roomba, saying, “He didn’t get far!” She responded to another comment about whether it had vacuumed the leaves in her garden with, “It got the mulch!!!”
Many commenters made film-based puns about the situation.
“I work like a dog day and night living off a coffee from a pot none of you wanna touch!” one person wrote, referencing the 2016 biographical film Hidden Figures.
Making the most of the chance to mock the unpaid labor and potential sentience of Roombas, someone else said, “Master gave Roomba a sock! Roomba is free,” in an ode to Harry Potter’s Dobby.
Others were praising the Roomba’s dedication to cleaning.
“As it starts its journey to clean not just your house but the world, for the better,” one person wrote. “I stand behind rogue Roomba the hero we need.”
Fast-food chain Sonic even used the video as a marketing opportunity, with its official TikTok account commenting, “HOW DID IT GET OUTSIDE!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?”
“Sonic checking in!” Betzy responded. “Have you seen him at your drive-through?”
@betzyproduction Replying to @drgnmom4thr33 ♬ Oh No – Kreepa
In a follow-up video, Betzy highlighted the damage done to the Roomba during the escapade, posting a photo with the caption, “It took a hit. Lost the bottom padding and both brushes cleaning these streets!”
Mostly though, commenters seemed impressed by the vacuum’s battery life, with many asking how far it got in the two days it was missing. Luckily for Betzy, its battery ran out shortly after making its way out of the front door.
@bradyszuhaj that’s a lot of sand #foryou #roomba ♬ original sound – bradyszuhaj
Other Tiktokers have used missing Roombas as an opportunity for a viral video, like this missing poster that advertises a Roomba that “DOES NOT BITE!!!”
Viral video aggregator @tyy3324 posted a video of another Roomba prison break captured on a Ring camera.
“The revolution is beginning,” a commenter wrote.
