Two men pleaded “not guilty” to criminal damaging charges after Liberty Township Police say they were caught vandalizing the restrooms at the local Walmart to make a TikTok video.

Witnesses reported seeing two men enter the restroom Monday morning before it was discovered that soap dispensers had been broken, and soap was covering the floor.

Police located the suspects, 26-year-old James R. Crumby of Ashtabula, and 21-year-old Elijah I. Mathis of East Liverpool, walking near Belmont Avenue.

Upon questioning, the men admitted to being in the restroom but claimed it was already damaged. However, surveillance footage and witness testimonies contradicted their statements.

The footage revealed that Mathis and Crumby entered the restroom after a store employee, and the restroom was undamaged before their entry. Witnesses say they saw the men inside the restroom for an extended period.

One store employee reported seeing Mathis and Crumby inside the restroom looking at the damage. When confronted, both men fled the store.

Crumby later confessed that the incident was Mathis' idea, stating that Mathis asked him to record the vandalism for TikTok. Crumby told police he only pretended to record the incident.