A TikTok influencer accused of flaunting stolen goods has been placed in cuffs — for the second time — after previously stealing items from the same location.
The social media star has been identified as Marlena Velez, who reportedly stole 16 items with a value of $225 on November 20 from a Target store located in Cape Coral, Florida.
She was arrested the very next day on November 21.
According to 'NBC 2,' the 22-year-old influencer was arrested for the same incident at the same Target weeks prior on October 30, when she shoplifted more than $500 worth of merchandise.
Investigators tracked the thief to the crime via security footage, in addition to videos posted to her TikTok account where she documented part of the incident and utilized the items she'd recently stolen online.
Authorities claim they positively identified her by using the footage and her phone's wallpaper, which also matched a photo from her Instagram account, per the news outlet. In addition to those connections, a man who was present during the influencer's theft had a distinctive tattoo on his arm that officials were able to match to her TikTok videos.
@marlenavelezzz All jokes aside guys, just know my team is managing the situation and everything is OKAY. My kids, my family, MY home are all okay. Despite the unfortunate situation that's unfolded, your continued love and support means everything to me. While there will be a time to discuss my wrongings, now is not that moment and it doesn't mean i don't want to speak on it or take accountability for my actions, it means everything is still being dealt with in court so i just ask to please respect that. I also want to be clear that this doesn't define who l am, and it doesn't reflect the person I strive to be. I do believe that we all make mistakes, and it's how we learn and grow from them that matters. I'm committed to doing better, not just for myself, but for my family and all of you who have supported me. Moving forward, I hope to continue sharing my life on here with you all my ups, my downs, and the lessons l've learned along the way through all of this. That being said, for those of you who do still choose to support me, want you to know that I appreciate you during this time it truly means the world to me and hasn't gone unnoticed.🤍
♬ original sound - Marlena
Velez carelessly posted a get-ready-with-me (GRWM) video to her account after her first shoplifting incident, which boldly showed her wearing the same outfit and glasses she was seen stealing in, per the 'New York Post.'
In typical social media fashion, the influencer also documented herself loading her truck and placing those items in her car after departing from the Target. Since the incident, the TikTok has been deleted.
This wouldn't be the only time the influencer would get comfortable shoplifting, as it was reported she also was arrested back in July 2023 for stealing from a Walmart in Cape Coral.
Velez does have a reported criminal history, as she was arrested back in 2019 at just 17 years old on grand theft auto charges after she stole her friend's car and crashed it.
Originally published on Enstarz.
