NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A national trend of theft and vandalism at schools is showing up in Northeast Wisconsin.
Videos of school property being taken or damaged are being posted nationwide to TikTok as part of a challenge called “Devious Licks.”
In our area, FOX 11 found at least two high schools that are dealing with students taking part in the criminal behavior.
In the first week of school, Neenah High School started seeing somewhat harmless, yet time consuming pranks, that have recently turned more serious in nature.
“It started with just little soap dispensers disappearing or being punctured and spilled throughout the room, the restrooms,” said Brian Wunderlich, Neenah High School’s principal.
“But as the weeks have gone on it’s escalated to like stealing the pins out of fire extinguishers or in one case we had to recover a fire extinguisher.”
At Green Bay Preble High School, parents were notified Thursday dispensers for toilet paper, soap, and paper towels were being pulled out of the wall. FOX 11 learned a sink was also bent, causing a leak and a bathroom to be shut down.
The Wisconsin School Safety Coordinators Association recently told districts statewide the destruction is all linked back to TikTok.
“These thefts are referred to as licks,” said Tom Wohlleber, Wisconsin School Safety Coordinators Association Executive Director.
“Often times they are described as being devious. It seems to be in many cases harmless, some minor items, but it gets to a point when equipment such as microscopes or laptops are taken. Then it becomes much more of an issue for the schools.”
Principal Wunderlich says he’s done playing games.
“We’ve talked about it’ It’s really creating problems, so we’re dealing with it with the most we can.”
With cameras outside each bathroom, Wunderlich says almost all the students responsible for damage have been caught and almost all the missing property has been recovered. So far, they haven’t had any repeat offenders.
“The truth of the matter is we’ve got 2,000 kids here and 1,980 of them are doing everything we want them to do and being awesome students and just enjoying their time being back in school.”
As for the other 20 or so students, they’re being given suspensions, fines, and in some cases, criminal charges, according to Wunderlich.
A spokesperson for the Green Bay Area Public School District says they are not commenting on the Preble incidents since this is a national trend.
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