By Kaitlyn Alanis
The Charlotte Observer
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — A TikTok illustrating what appears to be either a schemed shoplifting plan gone wrong or an orchestrated setup has garnered over 20 million views and 2 million likes in two days.
In the video posted by @faxisfax on TikTok, two women are seen trying to get into a gray car in an Illinois shopping center parking lot. One woman makes it into the front passenger spot and closes the door behind her, while the woman trying to get into the backseat finds herself locked out.
The TikTok captured her repeatedly rushing to open up the back door while holding goods, but to no avail.
Seconds later, the getaway car drives off, leaving the screaming woman behind.
Warning: Explicit language can be heard in the video below.
That woman has since been arrested, the Edwardsville Intelligencer reported.
Edwardsville police were called to Hibbett’s Sports at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, the Intelligencer reported, when employees recognized three “suspicious” women from previous thefts at the store.
“They had hit our store in Alton and in Belleville, and both of those stores were able to pull up video footage and capture the thieves’ images,” Edwardsville store manager Kayla Sandeser said, according to the newspaper. “They sent photos around to other stores to know what the thieves look like and we were able to verify with those photos and call the police.”
[RELATED: Erica Sandberg on the increase in property crime and retail theft]
In the viral TikTok, after two of the three suspected shoplifters drive off, a police officer is seen stepping out of his car and running after the third woman as she drops the merchandise and flees. The video then cuts to the officer arresting the woman in the parking lot.
That woman is booked into the Madison County Jail as police are seeking a felony charge for theft, KTVI reported, and the other two women have not been found.
While Hibbett’s Sports received what the abandoned woman had on her, the other two women got away with about $3,100 in stolen merchandise, the Intelligencer reported.
The viral video has over 41,000 comments, many from TikTokers who suspect the woman was set up.
“Nah they planned that, girl on the passenger side got in just fine,” one person wrote.
“Either they set her up or they seen that cop and ain’t want their car to be chased,” said another.
“They straight left her,” another said. “I’m mad for her.”
Others think it wasn’t a setup but rather a failed attempt at shoplifting.
“She literally kept pulling on the handle,” one person said. “It’s not gonna unlock if you keep pulling while they unlock it.”
“In the end it’s every one for themselves,” another TikToker wrote. “Can’t be mad if your partner drive off.”
©2021 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.