As the cost of living in the U.S. continues to rise, more people are taking drastic measures to make ends meet. Inflation hit a 40% high last year, while recent data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development found that nearly one in four (23%) of U.S. citizens over 65 were currently living in poverty.
So, when TikToker Jojo Hadid (@iamjojohadid) spotted an elderly woman shoplifting at CVS, she decided to turn a blind eye. Documenting the experience on TikTok, in a video that now has 618,600 views as of Sunday, Hadid told viewers, “I’m in CVS right now, and I’m just watching this, like, 85-year-old woman just put shit in her purse.”
But instead of judging or criticizing the customer, Hadid took a different approach, adding, “Go off queen. These prices are ridiculous.”
The creator then reiterated in the video’s description that she wasn’t planning to tell anyone, writing, “I know the rules lady. Snitches get stitches.” The Daily Dot reached out to Hadid via direct message.
@iamjojohadid Dont worry lady – i know the rules. Snitches get stiches #inflation ♬ original sound – J O J O H A D I D 💕
In the comments section, responses were split between users sharing their own experiences, and users lamenting over just how expensive CVS is.
“CVS has always been so out of hand,” one commenter wrote. “They don’t care at CVS anyway,” another added.
A third shared how they saw someone at Starbucks, “grab about 20 to-go lunches, and walk out,” while a fourth recalled how they “laughed all day” after seeing an elderly man swap the cheap grapes for the expensive grapes at Aldi supermarket.
“My grandmother’s motto at 85 was, ‘I’m old what are they gonna do to me?’” a further commenter asked, adding how their grandma would often “try to steal restaurant decor.”
This is far from the first time a shoplifter’s story has made waves on the app. One TikTok went viral for documenting the moment a shoplifter’s getaway driver deserted her, while in another viral video, a TikToker shared how they got shown footage of themselves shoplifting after going for a job interview at that same store.
A senior citizen also sparked debate on TikTok in relation to shoplifting last year— but on that occasion, it was for a video where they were accosting the alleged shoplifter.
