Tue Nov 26 11:20:00 UTC 2024: ## TikTok Influencer Arrested for Target Theft After Posting Prep Video
**Cape Coral, FL** – A 22-year-old TikTok influencer with nearly 300,000 followers has been arrested for shoplifting from a Target store in Cape Coral, Florida. Marlena Velez was charged with petit theft after allegedly using fake barcodes to steal $500.32 worth of merchandise on October 30th.
Cape Coral Police Department responded to a report from Target loss prevention. Security footage showed Velez selecting 16 items, including household goods and clothing, and scanning them with false barcodes at a self-checkout kiosk.
Police released images of the suspect, prompting an anonymous tipster to identify Velez through her social media profiles. Velez’s TikTok account, which boasts almost 300,000 followers, featured a video documenting her getting ready on the day of the theft, wearing the same outfit seen in the store surveillance footage. The video allegedly shows her selecting items at Target and loading them into her car.
Velez was arrested and transported to the Lee County Jail. The investigation is ongoing.
First Piper 