A video clip circulating on social media shows a woman bragging about stealing items from a store after she said her food-assistance benefits were cut, and urging followers to target churches and other institutions for money. In the footage she displays items she says she took and offers a rationale for theft.
“So this is what I stole, okay? They wanted $9 for this. I said, Oh, I don’t got $9,” the woman says in the clip. She goes on to frame taking unpaid goods as a form of entitlement: “Whether or not you take it, they call that st free will. I call that st eminent domain. You know what I’m saying? One thing I learned from the white men, take it.”
Later in the video she appears to encourage followers to “infiltrate” churches and other community organizations as a source of rent money, language that prompted immediate concern from viewers. The post has been widely shared and criticized online.
Law-enforcement officials generally treat social-media admissions of theft and calls to commit criminal acts as leads worth investigating; however, there is no public record at this time confirming charges connected to the video. Retailers and local police departments routinely ask anyone with information about alleged thefts to come forward, and many stores review footage and work with prosecutors when criminal conduct is documented.
Social platforms typically prohibit content that promotes or organizes criminal activity, and videos of this nature may be removed or referred for review under those policies.
Advocates for people facing economic hardship say the clip highlights broader issues around benefit cuts, food insecurity and housing instability — problems that many community groups and social-service agencies are working to address through legal aid, food banks and emergency rental assistance programs.
If you have information about the incident or recognize the location shown in the video, authorities encourage you to contact your local police department.
