TikTok mom vlogger arrested after posting videos with stolen Target goods

A TikTok momfluencer was arrested for stealing items from Target and identified due to the fact that of her ain societal media posts, according to police.

Marlena Velez, 22, stole astir $500 worthy of goods from a Target successful Cape Coral, Fla., by swiping barcodes for cheaper items astatine self-checkout and bagging much costly items instead, the Cape Coral Police Department said successful a property release.

Cops began investigating connected Nov. 20 aft receiving a shoplifting alert from Target. The institution provided surveillance video of a pistillate walking retired with stolen merchandise.

Marlena Velez, 22. (Cape Coral Police Department)

One time later, the section arrested Velez and posted its ain influencer-style Instagram video showing clips from Velez’s alleged activities connected Oct. 30. The constabulary video utilized parts of Velez’s ain TikToks, including a “Get Ready With Me” successful which she tin beryllium seen successful the aforesaid outfit arsenic the shoplifter.

After posing a photograph of the fishy connected their societal media accounts, Cape Coral constabulary said they received an anonymous extremity astir Velez being the imaginable shoplifter, including a nexus to her Instagram account.

Officers past viewed her videos, including 1 from an Oct. 30 travel to the Target successful Cape Coral, wherever “Marlena documents herself picking retired items wrong the store and placing them successful her car aft exiting the store,” constabulary said.

“Everything was documented, adjacent the outfit she wore,” a Cape Coral serviceman said successful the societal media video. “All of that matches” the surveillance video from Target.

Velez has astir 350,000 followers connected TikTok, wherever she promotes herself arsenic a ma vlogger. Her Instagram relationship has since been taken down.

Velez was charged with 1 number of petit theft and posted bail from Lee County Jail.