The latest trend on TikTok involves teenagers stealing zippers off of Nike Elite backpacks and reselling them for a profit. One New York City teen boasted about accumulating over a dozen zipper ties, specific to the model of Nike rucksack, and warned others not to leave their bags unattended around him. Other videos on TikTok showed teens bragging about how many zippers they could steal in a single day at school and how much they could sell them for on the resale market.
Some thieves are participating in the trend as a way to make money, with some charging a few bucks for a zipper and others marking them up to $40. This behavior has received backlash, with one TikTok creator expressing that others have taken the trend too far, as store shelves are seen fully stocked with Nike Elite backpacks missing fabric ties on the zippers. Disappointed teens and angry parents have criticized the fad, calling it “messed up” and some schools have had to issue warnings about it. Some owners of Nike Elite backpacks have taken precautions such as carrying their bags front-facing, double knotting the ties, or removing them altogether to prevent theft.
Desperate parents have taken to online platforms like Reddit in search of replacement zippers for their children’s stolen backpacks. One parent shared that their son had his zippers stolen during football practice and has been unable to find replacements. Another parent shared that they had to make the school replace their child’s backpack after two zippers were stolen. The trend has left parents frustrated, with one parent expressing that their 11-year-old son has been targeted by other kids at school and will no longer be able to bring his backpack to school as a result.
The trend has raised concerns about the ethical implications of stealing from strangers and the impact it can have on victims, particularly children who may feel targeted or unsafe at school. Many users on TikTok have expressed disappointment in the behavior of the teens participating in the trend, while others have defended it as a harmless prank. Some commenters have suggested that the trend reflects a broader issue of moral decay in society, while others have called for consequences for those engaged in stealing zippers from backpacks. Overall, the trend has sparked a debate about the boundaries of online challenges and the need for greater awareness of the potential harms they can cause to others.
