Influencer arrested after 'flaunting shoplifted goods' on TikTok

An influencer on TikTok has been arrested after allegedly showing off shoplifted goods from Target in a video.

22-year-old Marlena Velez faces charges of petty theft for allegedly stealing over $500 worth of products from a Target store in Cape Coral, Florida on 30 October, according to local news outlet the Fort Myers News-Press.

The TikToker, whose handle is @marlenavelezz, was accused of scanning a fake barcode for items listed at a lower price than the ones she had in her trolley while using self-checkout and was caught on security camera.

Police claim Velez stole 16 items which included household goods and clothes, which amounted to a value of $500.32.

After the police verified the footage from the security, they received an anonymous tip from a caller, purporting to be a follower of Velez, who noticed a picture of her that the police department had posted on its social media account to try and identify her.

They also provided the police with Velez’s social media handle so that the police could look at her TikTok account.

Cape Coral Police Department

In a since-deleted clip posted the same day as the alleged shoplifting, Velez had shared a video titled “Day in the life as a mom”, in which she was wearing the same clothes she wore to Target.

She could also be seen filming herself in Target picking items out and later loading them into her car.

“She essentially incriminated herself,” Cape Coral Police Department spokesperson Officer Riley Carter told the Express Tribune. “Social media gave us an unexpected lead, which expedited her identification and subsequent arrest.”

The TikToker was arrested and charged with one count of petit theft (where stolen property amounts to more than $100, but less than $750 in value). Velez is scheduled to next appear in court on 10 December.

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