A 22-year-old TikTok influencer with nearly 300,000 followers has been arrested for allegedly using fake barcodes to steal from a Target store in Cape Coral, Florida. The incident occurred on October 30, 2024, when the suspect, identified as Marlena Velez, entered the store and selected items without scanning their barcodes at the self-checkout register. Instead, she scanned false barcodes with cheaper prices, stealing 16 items with a total retail value of $500.32.
Police were able to identify Velez with the help of an anonymous caller who saw her picture on social media and provided information about her social media profiles. Velez documented herself getting ready on the day of the theft and was seen wearing the same outfit and glasses as in the security footage from Target. She was ultimately arrested and charged with petit theft of less than $750.
Velez, who appears to be a content creator with a large following on TikTok, has been taken to the Lee County Jail while the investigation is ongoing. The Cape Coral Police Department is urging anyone with information about the case to come forward. The incident serves as a reminder of the potential consequences of stealing and the importance of ethical behavior, especially for influencers who have a wide reach on social media platforms.
This article is based on information provided by the Cape Coral Police Department and ABC News Internet Ventures.
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Photo credit abc7.com
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