Florida TikToker Marlena Velez Arrested Twice for Stealing from Target

Arrest for Target Theft

• 👮 Marlena Velez, a TikToker, was arrested by Cape Coral Police for stealing from a Target store.
• 📹 The arrest followed an investigation by Target's loss prevention officers who observed Velez using a false barcode at self-checkout on security footage.
• 🏠 Officers arrived at Velez's home on November 21st, with body-worn cameras capturing the interaction and her arrest.

Method of Theft

• 🛍️ Velez was seen scanning barcodes for cheaper items instead of the actual price of merchandise, including clothing and household goods.
• 🛒 In some instances, she did not scan items at all, directly placing them into her cart and then into a bag.
• 💰 The difference in price due to the under-ringing was approximately $500.

Legal Proceedings and Previous Offenses

• ⚖️ Velez was read her Miranda rights and agreed to speak with officers, initially mistaking the reason for the arrest for a Walmart incident.
• 🎤 She has a prior record, having pleaded no contest in 2023 to similar charges of under-ringing items at self-checkout.
• 📝 Velez was arrested a second time nine days after her initial arrest for a separate Target incident.

Social Media Persona vs. Reality

• 📱 Velez, who has a following on TikTok for beauty and lifestyle content, claimed to have no income and was assigned a public defender.
• 🎭 This highlights a discrepancy between her online persona and her financial situation, as she listed her income as zero.

Resolution and Sentencing

• 📍 Velez resolved her petty theft cases with a no contest plea to misdemeanor charges.
• 🚫 She is barred from entering any Target stores and will be on probation until March 2026.
• 🗣️ Velez released a statement requesting respect for the ongoing court proceedings and stating the incidents do not define her.