A Baldwin County high school student is facing criminal charges after allegedly stealing a fire extinguisher from their school. The student stole the fire extinguisher as a part of a popular TikTok trend known as “devious licks,” in which students commit acts of theft and vandalism at school. The challenge involves students stealing things like soap dispensers, sanitizers, fire alarms, and other school property.
The trend became popular earlier this month. According to WBRC, schools in Jefferson, Chilton, Trussville and now Baldwin counties have all reported instances of theft and vandalism related to the trend. Some schools, including Vestavia Hills High school, have contacted parents directly urging them to speak to their children about the seriousness of theft and vandalism. The school said that it is investigating several incidents of “devious licks.”
On Wednesday, TikTok said that it started removing videos related to the trend and is redirecting related hashtags to its community guidelines page.
