TikTok influencer arrested for a second time for allegedly shoplifting at same Target

Influencer Marlena Velez, who was previously accused of posting a TikTok haul of stolen Target items, has been arrested for allegedly shoplifting at the same Target weeks later.

The 22-year-old TikToker, who has more than 414,000 followers on her now-private account, was arrested by the Cape Coral Police Department on Saturday (November 30), receiving a misdemeanor charge on allegations of petty theft.

Police responded to a complaint from Target’s loss prevention staff at the retail location in Cape Coral, about two hours south of Tampa. Velez, described as a “known repeat female suspect,” had allegedly scanned a false barcode at the Target’s self-checkout instead of the real barcodes on the merchandise.

She was accused of stealing 16 household goods and clothing from Target, worth a total value of $225.

“Officers recognized Marlena Velez from a prior arrest and were able to positively identify her,” the Cape Coral Police Department said on Facebook. According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Velez was booked on Saturday afternoon and posted a $500 bond for her release the following day.

Last month, Velez was once again charged with petty theft after allegedly stealing more than $500 worth of items from the same Target store. She was reportedly caught on security camera at the self-checkout register also scanning a fake barcode that listed lower prices for the items in her cart.

Cape Coral police had posted a picture of Velez on the department’s social media account in hopes the public could identify her. According to the Fort Myers News-Press, an anonymous caller identified Velez and provided her Instagram account, which led police to her TikTok.

There, she had allegedly documented herself getting ready on October 30, wearing the same outfit she was seen wearing on Target’s security footage. The since-deleted TikTok video also showed her picking out items inside the Target and placing them in her car afterward.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office listed December 10 as the same court date scheduled for her last arrest. In Florida, a charge of petty theft could result in a maximum of 60 days behind bars. If Velez is charged and convicted for both cases, she could face a maximum sentence of one year in jail.

Velez gained thousands of followers on TikTok from posting about her life as a mother to two children.

She was previously arrested in 2019 at age 17 on grand theft auto charges for stealing her friend’s car and crashing it, according to the Express Tribune. Velez was also arrested in July 2023 for shoplifting at a Walmart in Cape Coral.