Do you ever find yourself at a Lowe’s or Home Depot needing help getting an item, but you can’t find an employee to help you?
That was the experience of one Lowe’s customer, who managed to get a locked-up item free from its display all on his own. The customer, who goes by @CJORTEGA, captured the endeavor on video and then shared it to his @_ortegaconstruction_ account on TikTok for the world to see. And so far, the world’s been responsive, with more than 854,600 views on the video since it went up on Wednesday.
In it, the creator shows what appears to be a yellow cord in a sealed plastic bag located on the top shelf of a locked display. The on-screen caption reads, “When you can’t find the Lowe’s help … fend for yourself.”
The video then shows the creator knocking one of the bags from its perch down the side of the display, almost as if freed from a vending machine. He’s eventually able to coax it to the floor and then slide it out from under the cage and into his grasp.
The creator chose to soundtrack the video to Hank Williams, Jr.’s “Midnight Rider.”
Commenters might be on different sides of the Home Depot versus Lowe’s debate, but they came together to talk about the phenomenon of having to fend for one’s self in either home improvement big box store.
“No lie, I waited at home depot for an hour for someone to unlock a sander,” one observed, feeling she could have been “in and out” otherwise.
“I waited an hour to have someone unlock a Milwaukee radio,” another viewer said about a Home Depot experience. “They escorted me right to the checkout. I left it there and walked out.”
@_ortegaconstruction_ #lowes #fyp #tictok #trend #oklahoma #hacks ♬ Midnight Rider – Hank Williams, Jr.
One commenter shared, “Literally did the same thing last time I got wire from Lowe’s for a ceiling fan.”
Someone else quipped, “Bolt cutters on aisle 6” as a possible solution.
People had theories as to why more and more items are being locked up. “Unfortunately this is the repercussions of people ‘gang looting,’” opined one, presenting that as the reason “why they do this.”
One took it to a political place, saying, “Joe Biden’s America. Everything locked up from thieves.”
Another contented, “The barrier is just there to slow down those shoplifters that grab them by the dozens.”
The creator did jump back in to clarify, “I paid for this lol just so everyone is clear.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok comment and to Lowe’s via online form.
