AVON, Ind. — It's a trend that's been taking over TikTok and school administrators have had enough.
Videos have been popping up all over the platform showing kids stealing doors, signs, and even sinks from school property, especially in bathrooms.
Now, principals are threatening to lock bathrooms and suspend or expel students caught "hitting devious licks."
The viral trend is now in central Indiana schools, including the Avon Community School Corporation.
"Kids are taking anything that is not bolted down. I've had students reach out to me from across the country as well as administrators and other SROs that have told me stories about restroom stall doors being taken, sinks being taken, faucets, the head of water fountains," said Avon Schools Officer Richard Craig.
Craig first heard of the trend through his own children.
"Then I started to see things disappear from buildings here in Avon. I knew it had reached us," Craig said.
The school's police department has caught students stealing soap and soap dispensers off bathroom walls. Avon Middle School North is now forced to use hand sanitizer instead.
"A soap dispenser may not seem like a big deal, but these are around $30 to $50 a piece depending on what school you are at, and that racks up pretty quickly," Craig said.
So Craig jumped on TikTok to send a warning to students. In the video, he pretends to do a "devious lick" and then says, "This really is not that funny. It's really not funny at all. That's property damage, it's vandalism and it's theft and I don't want that for any of you."
The video has been viewed close to 200,000 times.
"I would be remiss if I didn't educate our students, and not just our students here in Avon, but any student that is going to listen," Craig said. "This is more than just a prank. You are really crossing the line into criminal activity."
TikTok has been removing the trend from its platform, but it hasn't stopped everyone. Some students have started using a different spelling of the word.
Officials are asking parents to step in and help curb this growing trend.
"If you see anything that your student brings home that appears it's been in a school or belongs in a school, chances are it is and it was taken without permission," Craig said.