Walmart Targeted by Copycats, Defiling Products You Might Be Buying
A video that was posted to social media showing a grocery story customer opening a tub of ice cream, licking the ice cream, closing the lid and placing it back on the freezer shelf has inspired at least three other copycat crimes by people seeking internet fame.
Law enforcement officials in Lufkin, Texas said the teen could face charges of tampering with a consumer product, punishable by a prison term of up to 20 years and a $10,000 fine.
The video has received more than 13 million views.
Two other incidents involving ice cream have also turned up on social media. A Twitter user who goes by the name of Shawn Mendes had a friend make a video of him scooping out a chunk of ice cream before putting it back in the freezer, according to Summit News.
Mendes posted the video to social media after the Lufkin teen's video went viral.
"I started the trend of opening products without buying them," he bragged.
In another incident in Louisiana on Monday, the Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office said a man posted a video of himself on Facebook opening a Blue Bell ice cream container, licking it, poking it with his finger and putting it back on the shelf.
News outlets report 36-year-old Lenise Martin, III was charged Saturday with property tampering and posting criminal activity.
Police Commander Lonny Cavalier said after being alerted of Martin's actions by management, deputies found Martin at the scene showing the sales clerk a receipt showing he bought the ice cream he licked. Deputies searched the freezer and confirmed the purchase but still decided to move forward with the charges.
And now the copycats have apparently gone on to other products besides ice cream.
In an Instagram post, a person identified as Bameron Nicole Smith is seen taking a bottle of mouthwash off of a Walmart shelf, taking a mouthful and then spitting back into the bottle.
Walmart said an investigation into the mouthwash video is currently underway.
"If someone tampers with a product and leaves it on the shelf, we will work with law enforcement to identify and prosecute those found responsible to the fullest extent of the law," the company told DailyMail.com.
