TikTok influencer Marlena Velez, known for her fashion and home decor videos, was recently arrested, shocking many fans. Naturally, they are wondering the reason behind her arrest. Did she commit a crime? Were any laws violated by her?
Here is what we know on TikTok influencer Marlena Velez’s arrest.
TikTok influencer Marlena Velez arrested for alleged shoplifting
Marlena Velez was arrested on Wednesday, November 21, 2024 after she was allegedly caught shoplifting. This was connected to a past retail theft at Target, located at the 1890 NE Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, according to a statement from The Cape Coral Police Department.
According to the statement, Loss Prevention at Target revealed that on October 30, 2024, a woman walked into the store and picked several items that had been on sale. Later, at the checkout counter, the woman did not scan the items’ barcodes. She instead scanned false barcodes to get cheaper prices for the items.
The statement mentioned that sixteen items of miscellaneous household goods and clothes had been stolen. Following verification with Target’s security cameras, the authorities concluded that items worth $500.32 were stolen from the store.
After obtaining the woman’s photo, Cape Coral Police Department posted it on their Facebook and Instagram handles to help identify her. In the picture, the female appeared to be somewhere between “20-35 years of age.” She had “long black hair,” wore “a tan shirt, tan pants and glasses.” Later, an anonymous caller reached out to Cape Coral Police and identified the woman as Marlena Velez. The caller also provided them with Velez’s official Instagram account.
Cape Coral Police Department then checked Velez’s TikTok account, which included a now-deleted October 30 video of her documenting herself getting ready to go to Target. In the video, she was seen wearing the same attire and glasses as the woman in the picture the police earlier shared on social media. Additionally, she could also be seen buying items like a Stanley mug and mini cosmetics bag.
Velez was later isolated by Cape Coral Police Department and arrested on the following charges:
- 1 count in violation of F.S.S. 812.014(3a)
- Petit theft more than $100 and less than $750.
Velez has a notable criminal history. In 2019, she was arrested for stealing her friend Amanda Santana’s car and crashing it into a ditch. Santana confirmed this in an interview with NBC2-Fort Myers, Florida.
