A TikTok influencer arrested late last month for stealing approximately $500 worth of items from a southwest Florida Target has been arrested again — for stealing around $225 worth of goods from the same store, officials announced Monday.
Marlena Velez, 22, is accused of using a false barcode to scan more than a dozen items at a self-checkout register, according to the Cape Coral Police Department.
Target’s loss prevention staff contacted police on Saturday to report that “a known repeat female suspect” had allegedly stolen 16 items, including miscellaneous household goods and clothing, from the store on 1890 NE Pine Island on Nov. 20.
Security camera footage appears to show Velez walking into the store with her family — one unidentified man and two kids — and later heading to the register, where she’s seen “picking up multiple items and scanning one fake bar code.”
The young mother, who reportedly promotes herself as a “mom vlogger,” made headlines last month after police took to social media to request the public’s help in identifying an alleged shoplifter at Target.
An anonymous caller identified the suspect as Velez, who was arrested and charged with petty theft. She was also accused of scanning bar codes with lower prices for merchandise valued at $500.
After reviewing the video on Saturday, officers recognized Velez from her previous arrest. Police matched the wallpaper image on her cellphone with a photo from her Instagram account. The image, of Velez with her family, was also “the same wallpaper picture from the previous case,” police said.
Investigators were also able to identify the man who was with her during the theft, though they did not release his name.
“The male has a distinct/unique tattoo on his left arm that is the same tattoo shown on a male that is shown in some of Velez’s TikTok videos,” police said.
Velez, whose TikTok account is currently set to private, has nearly 420,000 followers on the platform.