Why was TikToker Marlena Velez arrested? The Target connection, explained

Influencers certainly love to chase after that ounce of stardom in any way they can. Sometimes, they’ll create the most unhinged and downright disturbing TikTok content just for the sweet, sweet views, disregarding the moral and future implications of their actions.

Other times, they resort to more extreme measures to ensure their name stays in everyone’s conversation — only to find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of felonies along the way. That being said, allow us to explain what happened to TikToker Marlena Velez (@marlenavelezz on TikTok), who decided it would be a good idea to teach her followers the intricacies of fast fashion and affordable clothing — so cheap that it is almost free.

What happened to Tiktoker Marlena Velez?

Marlena Velez was recently arrested for shoplifting after filming and broadcasting her alleged haul of stolen items from Target — but let’s start with some introductions first. Marlena Velez is a 22-year-old Florida-based TikTok influencer with over 350,000 followers. She often films her daily life, showcasing her outfits, meals, and general life as a young mom. However, this time, her “day in the life” quickly turned into a “day in jail.”

It all began when Velez was shopping at Target on October 30 — as one does — but allegedly, the influencer picked up 16 items in total, scanning false barcodes in the process. These barcodes corresponded to items with a lower monetary value, making her total purchases significantly cheaper than they would have been otherwise — which has since been confirmed to amount to a total of $500.32. Authorities from the Cape Coral Police reported that through this scheme, Velez managed to obtain the items for much less by going through the self-checkout register.

Hilariously enough, on that same day, Velez posted a now-deleted video titled “Day in the Life as a Mom,” where she showed fans some of the clothing she had just bought at Target. This video ended up providing further evidence of her theft, and according to the police, in that same video, she filmed herself selecting the items and placing them in her cart. Good choices all around, right?

However, it wasn’t necessarily her video that led to her arrest. Velez was identified through surveillance footage inside the store, but initially, authorities couldn’t pinpoint the thief. They could discern some of her physical traits, including her neutral outfit and large dark glasses. Ultimately, it was an anonymous tipster who directed the police to Velez, providing her full name, social media handles, and even her date of birth.

Through her videos showing her haul and even wearing the stolen items, the police confirmed that the person in the surveillance footage at Target was indeed Velez, which allowed them to issue a warrant for her arrest. According to arrest records, Velez was apprehended on Thursday night, taken to Lee County Jail, and later released on a $150 cash bond. She is now scheduled to appear in court on December 10.

Now, here’s the real kicker: Velez is hardly the first or last influencer to be caught committing a felony due to their poor judgment in posting it on TikTok. We’ve all seen those viral videos that have even normalized the act of stealing for the thrill of it. There are hundreds of videos by micro-influencers explaining how to remove security tags from clothing, claiming it’s only for purchased items, but let’s be honest — who are we kidding? Let this be a lesson, kids: if you’re planning to steal from a multi-million-dollar company… don’t film it. Or just don’t steal from anyone, really.