No, you haven't accidentally clicked on the same article from last month that followed influencer Marlena Velez, 22, stealing from a Florida Target. She's just back at it again.
Videos by Wide Open Country
On October 30, Velez was arrested for stealing from a local Target. She was caught after her account was found after a tip. The faces from the TikTok videos and surveillance footage matched, and she was nicked. She decided to flaunt the thrifted goodies in a TikTok video showcasing her going grocery 'shopping' and loading her car with full Target bags.
According to NBC 2, she's been caught stealing from the same Target on November 20. She even used the same method to shoplift. She clearly didn't learn a thing.
The stories are so similar here I fear I could copy and paste the same content and call it a day.
Like last time, Velez used a phony barcode to 'scan' items at the self-checkout. She took 16 items valued at $225. Back in October, she used the same method to swipe 16 items, valued at $500, however.
Although less ambitious, it's still theft all the same.
This time, police managed to confirm her identity through means other than a tip and diving around social media.
Surveillance footage matched her phone's wallpaper, which funnily enough matched a picture in her Instagram. It seems authorities were more prepared this time for the repeat offender.
Influencer Mother Steals From Target Yet Again
Marlena Velez's TikTok account revolves around her picturesque life as a mother of two. She updates her 415K followers on her daily chores and routines, such as winding down in the evening or going shopping. Naturally, she leaves out the part where she shoplifts.
Interestingly, this time she was accompanied by a tattooed man who also makes an appearance in some of her TikTok videos. Whether he's her partner, the father of her kids, or simply an over-achieving friend isn't made clear.
Although this is the second time Velez has committed this exact crime, these aren't the only entries on her rap sheet. She's been charged with crimes in 2019 and 2023 for grand theft auto and shoplifting.
Like her theft in October this year, her account has been made private. Back in October, she made her profile public before long, although turned the comments off. I wonder how long she'll resist this time.
