A Walmart customer exposed how little the store’s new security measures actually protect products from theft.
TikToker Dapnatusa_9988 (@honhohdkl6q) posted a short video while browsing items at the store, showing how their new security locks are pointless. The video has been viewed over 26,000 times as of publication.
@honhohdkl6q #walmart #market ♬ Oh No – Kreepa
The TikToker starts her video with the camera pointed at a rack of phone cases protected by a security lock.
“Alright guys, so hear me out,” she says, while attempting to pull out one of the packages from the rack but being stopped by the magnetic lock. “This is supposed to protect right?”
“But bro,” she says in disbelief as she slips the entire phone case out from the side of its plastic package. “What the f*ck, get your shit together Walmart,” she concludes.
Users were frustrated with the new security measures, claiming that they only aggravated honest customers.
“They “protect” things from people who actually want to buy them but they’re still easy to steal,” one person vented.
“Locks only stop honest people,” a second agreed.
“Yep – another example is the USB storage device packages that are also placed in those magnetic anti theft pegs often are made with cardboard holders,” a third replied.
Others pointed out that the locks Walmart uses serve as a deterrent more than a security measure.
“It’s actually not supposed to ‘protect’ its a deterrent and if stolen comes with intent because it ‘locked up,'” one explained.
“They prevent people from emptying the whole peg in one sweep, that’s it,” a second added.
Walmart loses approximately 3 billion dollars to theft a year, which accounts for approximately 1% of its annual revenue. Due to these losses, the big-box store has closed multiple locations including all their stores in Portland, Oregon, and half of their stores in Chicago. Overall, the retail giant has closed a total of 20 stores across the US.
Target, Home Depot, Walgreens, Macy’s, and Best Buy have also closed multiple stores due to a sharp uptick in organized retail theft. According to a National Retail Federation survey, loss of inventory including theft cost retailers $100 billion in 2021.
The Daily Dot reached out to the TikToker via TikTok comments and Walmart via email for further information.