Dred-stealing trend reaches Summit High School

The latest social media trend has seen teenagers around the world steal backpack zipper ties (“dreds”) from classmates and stores. The trend has spread to Summit High School and hasn’t slowed despite preventative measures put forward by assistant principal David DeRose.

A New York high schooler posted a video of his "dred" collection on TikTok, further popularizing the trend. Screenshot/TikTok

By Sonnet Renoux

Oct. 29, 2024

The last few weeks of school have seen a surge in the stealing of backpack zippers (nicknamed “dreds”) by students. The trend took off on social media on Sep. 13, 2024, but has only recently gained traction in Summit High School. TikToker @kyrieirvingishimm shared on their public profile a photo showcasing a collection of Nike zipper ties and captioning it, “Do not leave your Nike Elite lackin around me,” helping to further spread the trend.

Since then, the video has been shared millions of times, with thousands more hopping onto the trend. Backpacks in schools, as well as sportswear stores like Nike, have been stripped of their “dreds,” as teenagers search for more to add to their collections.

At Summit High School, thieves have secretly preyed on unattended backpacks in the commons, library, and locker rooms, making it harder to identify them.

Many Summit High School students have fallen victim to these crimes. Sophomore Deidre Dalzell expressed her frustration in regards to the trend.

“It’s annoying,” she said. “It makes it hard to open and close your backpack during the end of classes when you’re rushing.” All of Deidre’s zipper ties have been looted.

“Dred” thieves, however, express no remorse. “I like that it gives me something to entertain myself with,” said an anonymous participant. “It gives a little suspense to the day, makes every day different.” They also added that they only steal from their friends or people they know.

Assistant Principal David DeRose feels strongly against the current issue. “I think it is incredibly frustrating,” he said. “People are destroying other people's property, and for what end? For a small piece of bungee cord? In many cases, this makes the backpack very difficult to use.”

In a recent student news-letter, it was revealed that repercussions for stealing the zipper ties will be enforced. “If a student is found to have cut the zipper ties from another student's backpack, they may be required to replace the entire backpack,” explained Mr. DeRose. 

However, identifying thieves has proven to be difficult, especially because the trend has been carried out stealthily for the past month. 

“It is hard if you don’t know who took them,” said Mr. DeRose when asked about what students should do if they don’t know the culprit. “I recommend being a part of the solution and shifting the culture of the building by advocating for this to stop. Express to classmates the impact this has on you, as an individual.” 

Many students have taken matters into their own hands in an attempt to protect these valuable items of fabric. Some preventative measures include double knotting or gluing zipper ties, making it harder for thieves to steal them.

“Do not leave your backpack unattended, especially in public spaces like the commons or cafeteria,” said Mr. DeRose. “If you were witness to someone taking 'dreds,’ please report what you observed. If we shift the culture to care more about those impacted, we will be on the right track.”