Police in Cape Coral, Florida, have arrested TikTok influencer Marlena Velez after videos on her account depicted alleged theft of 16 items from a Target.
The Cape Coral Police Department responded to the store last week about a theft on Oct. 30. Loss prevention staff at the Target said that a suspect used fake barcodes at a self-checkout kiosk to take 16 pieces of clothing and assorted household items, worth more than $500 in total, for less than they were worth, police said.
After releasing security footage of the suspect, a tipster sent the police Ms. Velez’s since-deleted Instagram and said she was the suspect.
A now-deleted video on Ms. Velez’s now-private TikTok account from Oct. 30 showed her in the same outfit she was wearing in the security footage and also purportedly showed her going to the Target and picking out items, police said.
Ms. Velez’s TikTok account has more than 370,000 followers. Her YouTube account and Amazon and Walmart storefronts are still live, though the former has only three videos and far less followers.
Ms. Velez, 22, was apprehended and has been charged with theft of goods worth more than $100 and less than $750.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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