A 22-year-old social media influencer on TikTok with nearly 300,000 followers was arrested after she used fake barcodes to steal from Target and filmed herself getting ready before the alleged theft, police said.

According to a statement from Cape Coral Police, Cape Coral Police in Florida responded to a Target store at 1890 NE Pine Island Road in Cape Coral last Wednesday regarding a previous retail theft that occurred on October 30th.

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“Loss Prevention at Target stated that on October 30, 2024, an unknown female entered the store and selected items for sale,” police said. “At the self-checkout, the suspicious woman did not scan the barcode of the items, but a false barcode with cheaper prices.”

In total, 16 different household goods and clothing items were stolen with a total retail value of $500.32, which officers reviewed via Target’s surveillance cameras.

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In an attempt to help identify the suspect through public assistance, the Cape Coral Police Department’s Facebook and Instagram accounts posted the woman’s picture, describing her as “approximately 20 to 35 years old, with long black hair and “tanned skin” was described as a shirt, light brown trousers and glasses.”

An anonymous caller who saw the post on social media subsequently contacted police and gave the suspect’s possible identity as Marlena Velez and informed them of her social media profiles.

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“Officers then found Marlena’s TikTok account, which documented her getting ready and going to Target wearing the same outfit and glasses on October 30, 2024,” police said. “Marlena documents herself selecting items in the store and placing them in her car after leaving the store. Marlena appears to be a content creator with almost 300,000 followers.”

Velez has since been arrested and taken to the Lee County Jail and charged with petit theft less than $750.

The investigation is currently ongoing.

Social media influencer arrested after filming herself preparing to shoplift using fake barcodes: police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com