A TikTok influencer was arrested for stealing after allegedly flaunting a haul of stolen Target items in a video to her 350,000 followers.
Marlena Velez, 22, known by the TikTok handle @marlenavelezz, was charged with one count of petty theft in Florida.
According to Cape Coral Police, Velez took $500.32 in home goods and clothing from a Target store in Cape Coral on October 30.
The suspect allegedly picked up 16 goods across the store before scanning false barcodes with lower pricing at the self-checkout register, according to officials.
Later that day, she posted a video titled “Day in the Life of a Mom” in which she was seen wearing the same apparel in the same Target store, according to authorities.
In the video, she is purportedly seen picking up the same stolen items and depositing them in her car.
Her arrest came after police released a photo of the accused thief, clad in a tan suit and glasses, allegedly captured on security tape inside the store.
An anonymous informant then guided police to the influencer, providing her entire identity, social media profiles, and birth date.
According to police, investigators were able to link Velez’s TikTok video to Target surveillance footage.
Velez was booked into the Lee County Jail on Thursday night and released on a $150 cash bond, according to booking records.
The 22-year-old is expected to appear in court again on December 10.
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