TikTok Influencer Arrested for Second Theft at Florida Target
A TikTok influencer, Marlena Velez, has been arrested for a second time for allegedly stealing goods from a Target store in Cape Coral, Florida. Last month, she was apprehended for stealing items worth over $500 from the same store, with her TikTok videos helping to identify her.
Velez, 22, now faces additional theft charges after being caught stealing from the same Target store on November 20th, as reported by NBC 2.
Authorities stated that Velez used a fake barcode to scan items at the self-checkout, taking household goods and clothing valued at $225. She was identified through surveillance footage and her phone’s wallpaper matching an Instagram photo.
During her first arrest, Velez was linked to the crime through security footage and TikTok videos showing her in the same outfit as the shoplifter, documenting herself picking out items at Target.
Velez has a history of criminal activities, including a 2019 arrest for grand theft auto at the age of 17 and a shoplifting incident at Walmart in July 2023.