A string of constant thefts at CVS stores in the Washington D.C. area has prompted management in at least one location to implement creative measures to display its products to potential shoppers: picture frames.
A TikToker named Ivan (@ivangtv) highlighted a photo snapped by the Instagram account @washingtonianprobs which details the severity of the rampant thefts in Washington D.C. and how a CVS location decided to combat thieves who are constantly pilfering packages of toilet paper.
Instead of leaving the products out on the shelves, CVS workers snap photos of the items and place them in picture frames. If customers want to purchase the items, they need to ring up a customer service representative for assistance in order to gain access to the bathroom tissue.
Ivan says in the video: “This is insane. A CVS in Washington D.C. just had to put all of their toilet paper behind picture frames because of how much people were stealing it.”
The TikToker then begins to read aloud the caption for the Instagram post he’s referencing in his video. “Apparently the CVS on H Street is also having to put their toilet paper behind in the back to stop it from being stolen,” the post from @washingtonionproblems reads. “Instead of just letting people see what’s in stock, they’re putting pictures of their toilet paper in picture frames.”
The video then transitions to a green screen of what looks like a digital map of the Washington D.C. area this particular CVS is located in. “Now this CVS is in downtown Washington D.C., right in the heart of everything,” Ivan says, “and apparently, according to that Instagram post, this is not the first one or the only one to start putting their toilet paper behind picture frames.”
Ivan goes on to explain another strange detail he noticed in the post: a yellow sign affixed to a black box shoppers requiring assistance are expected to press. “They have a sign there that says press this button if you need assistance an associate will be here shortly and you can press your button there for customer service but there is nothing there on the shelf,” he says.
“Their poor Scott tissue paper. Imagine having to go down that aisle and pick out your toilet paper, I pick it out by picking it up looking at it, how many ply is it, things like that,” Ivan notes of a normal shopping experience. “I have to go off of a picture frame to tell what kind of toilet paper I’m gonna buy now. What do you guys think about all this?”
There was a litany of different responses to the anti-theft measures employed by the CVS store posted in the comments section of Ivan’s video.
@ivangtv This CVS is having to hide its toilet paper in washington dc #toiletpaper #cvs #stealing #crime #foryou ♬ Chill Vibes – Tollan Kim
One person couldn’t believe how bad thefts have gotten in the area that store management needed to resort to the picture frame method: “Bro what kind of booties they got in Washington DC to be needing to steal toilet paper.”
Another person remarked that they could only imagine how inconvenient and frustrating this set up must be for CVS workers. “That’s gotta be a NIGHTMARE for the employees—everyone ringing for you to run back and forth from the back room,” they said.
One viewer who said that they were a CVS employee remarked that they weren’t surprised by the security measures implemented by the store. “I work at CVS and we have had people steal laundry soap and softener, I’m calling it now that’s going to be the next item in a cabinet,” they claimed.
Someone else speculated that this type of business model would more than likely have a negative effect on total sales: “Takes 10 mins for an associate to come after you push it. Then another 15mins to go get the item.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to CVS and Ivan via email for further comment.