Influencer arrested for fleecing Target with cunning checkout barcode hack and flaunting goods on TikTok

A glamorous influencer has been arrested for shoplifting from a Target aft she flaunted the goods successful a video connected TikTok.

Marlena Velez, 22, who has astir 300,000 followers connected the video sharing app successful which she posts videos astir her beingness arsenic a ma to 2 kids, is facing petty theft charges for allegedly stealing much than $500 from the Target store successful Cape Coral, Florida connected October 30.

Local constabulary said they were called to the store past Wednesday for a study of a retail theft, and erstwhile officers arrived connected the scene, nonaccomplishment prevention unit told them that an chartless pistillate entered the store and selected a fig of items.

Once she was astatine the self-checkout register, nonaccomplishment prevention unit said, the fishy scanned a fake barcode that listed cheaper prices, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

In total, constabulary said, Velez stole 16 items - including household goods and apparel - valued astatine $500.32.

As portion of an ensuing investigation, constabulary posted a photograph of the fishy captured from surveillance footage, showing her wearing glasses, with agelong achromatic hair, a tan garment and tan pants.

Soon, the Cape Coral Police Department received an anonymous telephone from 1 of Velez's followers, identifying her arsenic the suspect, constabulary said.

The anonymous caller besides provided officers with her Instagram handle, and from there, constabulary were capable to tack down her TikTok page.

Her TikTok leafage included a get-ready-with-me video from the time of the alleged shoplifting incident, showing her successful the aforesaid outfit and going to Target and TJ Maxx, Fox 4 Now reports.

She past documented herself picking retired items wrong the store and placing them successful her car afterward successful the since-deleted video.

'She fundamentally incriminated herself,' CCPD spokesperson Officer Riley Carter told the Express Tribune. 

Velez was yet taken into custody connected Thursday and charged with 1 number of petit theft much than $100, little than $750.

She besides deactivated her TikTok account, but has since reactivated it and disabled the comments, according to Hollywood Unlocked.

 Velez's stunning apprehension aboriginal brought renewed attraction to her anterior transgression history.

Velez was archetypal arrested astatine the property of 17 successful 2019 for expansive theft car erstwhile she stole her person Amanda Santana's car and crashed it.

'She had a people with maine astatine Ida Baker High School and we clicked,' Santana recounted to NBC 2. 

She explained that 1 day, Velez asked her to beryllium successful her car during people until lunchtime, and Santana - trusting her bully friend- handed her the keys.

When Santana aboriginal returned to the parking lot, she said she could not find her vehicle.

'I went to the parking batch and I'm looking astir for my car and I can't find it, truthful I actually, like, double-checked, looked connected each broadside and I was like, "Where is my car?"

A fewer hours later, Santana said she learned her person had crashed her conveyance into a ditch adjacent a Dunkin' Donuts.

She claims Velez ne'er paid for immoderate of the damages.

'It's similar she ne'er felt remorse,' Santana said.

Velez was besides arrested successful July 2023 for shoplifting astatine a Walmart successful Cape Coral.

A study from the store said she under-ringed items 'by scanning 1 item, past placing different point underneath the scanned item,' according to NBC 2.

She coiled up stealing $63 successful room items, and pleaded nary contention to the charges past April.

Velez was sentenced to implicit an anti-theft people and service six months of probation, which ended past month.

Now, Santana says cipher should judge Velez tin prolong the manner she portrays connected societal media.

'She's been surviving recklessly, flaunting a manner that doesn't lucifer her actions,' she said.

Officer Carter, though, said Velez volition look justness for her alleged actions.

'Influencers should look the aforesaid consequences arsenic anyone else,' the spokesperson said. 'Their nationalist representation doesn't exempt them from the law.'