If You See A Wire Tied To Your Car’s Door Handle, Don’t Approach It

If you've spent any time on social media over the last few months (really all of 2020, didn't we?), chances are you've come across videos that help promote safety in numbers, or things to look out for if you're alone.

TikTok has become increasingly popular for these types of videos - keeping a keen eye on your surroundings, what to do if you believe someone may be following you, and safety tips regarding riding in a rideshare alone.

Now a video regarding wire tied to your car's door handle has gone incredibly viral on TikTok, and it's acting as a safety warning to women out shopping alone. The video was originally posted by a woman named Shannon. In the video, as she zooms in on what looks like a wire on a grey car's door handle, the video is captioned, "WTF is this a joke - someone better not get kidnapped". She then finds a second wire on separate car and captions that clip, "We found a second one. I'm getting out of here".

The video now has over 20 million views.

@ice.lemon.waterWe thought it was a joke at first until we found the second one 😳 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #scary #viral #trending #BoseAllOut♬ Scary - Background Sounds

Now another TikTok user Reece, who goes by the handle @achunkyguy, is responding to that video saying that it is indeed a tactic that is used by people looking to kidnap women.

"What you see on her car handle right there is wire," Reece begins. "It can come in all different forms, but the reason people use wire is because it will distract you for longer."

@achunkyguy
##stitch with @ice.lemon.water one of the oldest tricks in the book ##fy ##fyp ##fypシ ##foryou ##foryoupage ##fortheladies ##forthegirls

♬ Scary - Background Sounds

The wire on doors, along with water bottles on car hoods, are said to be ways to distract you long enough to be snatched by a waiting individual before you're able to get into your car.

Celia Williamson, director of the Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute at the University of Toledo in Ohio, has spoken out in the past about these videos (in 2019) and called the claims 'ridiculous'. However no authorities, including here in Texas, have commented on the wider use of the tactics.

It's just another reason to stay safe when you're out running errands alone, or just making a quick trip to Target and Starbucks. You never know who could be watching.