Video tips on how to shoplift shared by users on TikTok

TIKTOK users are sharing videos teaching people how to shoplift, The Sunday Telegraph has found, prompting the social media giant to investigate.

This newspaper has seen several videos in which anonymous users share “tips and tricks” on how to shoplift – or “borrow” as some call it – from shops including UK-based chains.

On some videos, users brandish shoplifting “hauls”, which include jewellery, makeup and stationery.

One account with nearly 10,000 likes wished followers “good luck” with their shoplifting and regularly shared advice on “how to borrow”.

Comments like “What is borrowing?” and “What’s a borrowing haul?” were met with the response: “Stealing”.

One account appeared to be run by children, with the user describing shoplifting “after school”.

Some of the videos have been on the platform for months. One had more than 3,000 comments and had been on the platform since September last year.

Graham Wynn, of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Shoplifting is a criminal offence, and someone found guilty or given a police caution will have a criminal record. It is a significant burden to retailers, rising consistently to almost £1billion in 2019-20.”

TikTok said that it used various means to investigate content that violates its guidelines. A spokesman said: “TikTok’s Community Guidelines categorically prohibit content that promotes or enables criminal activities. Any content found to be in violation of these policies will be removed immediately and action will be taken against violative accounts.”

After being contacted by The Telegraph, TikTok said it had banned the flagged accounts from its platform.