TikTok Influencer Arrested for Allegedly Shoplifting $500 Target Haul

Marlena Velez, 22, was identified through her own TikTok videos, which police say documented the theft and led to her arrest.

Marlena Velez, a TikTok influencer with over 300,000 followers, was arrested for allegedly stealing $500.32 worth of goods from a Target store in Cape Coral, Florida, on October 30.
Police say Velez used fake barcodes at a self-checkout to scan items at lower prices, stealing 16 items including clothing and household goods.
Velez posted a TikTok video on the same day, showing herself wearing the same outfit as seen in Target's security footage and documenting her shopping trip and haul.
An anonymous tip, reportedly from one of her followers, linked her social media accounts to the theft, leading to her identification and arrest by Cape Coral police.
The influencer, who has a prior criminal record including a 2019 grand theft auto charge, was released on $150 bail and is set to appear in court on December 10.