{"id":2374140,"date":"2024-11-28T08:58:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T13:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/alleged-shoplifter-busted-after-police-check-her-social-media-essentially-incriminated-herself\/"},"modified":"2024-11-28T08:59:37","modified_gmt":"2024-11-28T13:59:37","slug":"alleged-shoplifter-busted-after-police-check-her-social-media-essentially-incriminated-herself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/alleged-shoplifter-busted-after-police-check-her-social-media-essentially-incriminated-herself\/","title":{"rendered":"Alleged Shoplifter Busted After Police Check Her Social Media: &#8216;Essentially Incriminated Herself&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Falleged-shoplifter-busted-after-police-check-her-social-media-essentially-incriminated-herself%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2374140&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Marlena Velez, a 22-year-old <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/americans-send-bud-light-a-brutal-message-with-july-4-sales-numbers\/\" title=\"July 4 Sales Numbers Deliver Brutal Message to Bud Light from Americans.\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">social media<\/a>\u200b influencer<\/a> \u200dwith over 300,000 followers, was arrested in \u2062Florida for shoplifting at\u2062 a Target store. The Cape Coral \u2062Police \u2062Department received a report\u2064 about the incident, which occurred on October 30, 2024, when Velez allegedly scanned false barcodes at \u2062a self-checkout, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">stealing items worth approximately 0<\/a>.32. Her identity \u200bwas quickly uncovered after an anonymous tipster recognized \u2064her from police social media posts, leading to further investigation that linked her TikTok videos documenting her shopping trip\u2064 to the crime. Law enforcement used \u2062the evidence from her \u200dsocial media to confirm\u2064 her actions, resulting\u200c in her arrest for \u2064petty theft. Velez has since been released on bond, \u200cand \u2063authorities noted that she effectively incriminated herself\u2064 through\u200d her online\u2063 activities.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A social media star was arrested after authorities say she was caught shoplifting &mdash; by videos posted to her own account.<\/p>\n<p>22-year-old Marlena Velez was arrested November 21 by Florida&rsquo;s Cape Coral Police Department.<\/p>\n<p>The department was notified to the crime the day before after being called to a local Target store.<\/p>\n<p>Velez&rsquo;s alleged scheme appears to be a bit more sophisticated than simply pocketing small, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russian-economist-drinks-to-the-death-of-the-market-says-hell-get-a-job-playing-santa-claus\/\" title=\"Russian Economist Drinks To The Death Of The Market, Says He\u2019ll Get A Job Playing Santa Claus\">high-dollar items<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Loss Prevention at Target stated that on October 30, 2024, an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ohio-woman-charged-for-stabbing-man-at-urinal\/\" title=\"Ohio Woman Charged For Stabbing Man at Urinal\">unknown female entered<\/a> the store and selected items listed for sale,&rdquo; the <a href=\"https:\/\/capecops.com\/2024\/11\/21\/social-media-creator-arrested-for-theft-from-target\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CCPD wrote<\/a> on November 21. &ldquo;Once at the self-checkout register, the female suspect did not scan the items&rsquo; barcodes, instead scanning a false barcode with cheaper prices.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Sixteen items of miscellaneous household goods and clothing were stolen. The total loss of the stolen items was valued at $500.32. Officers verified this with Target&rsquo;s security cameras.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-embed\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"#STOLEN: Cape Coral social media influencer arrested for stealing from Target\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S2EXAX6gFSw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Law enforcement posted the suspect&rsquo;s picture to its and Instagram accounts in hopes that the public would recognize the mystery woman. It didn&rsquo;t take long until police had a name.<\/p>\n<p>The CCPD states that an &ldquo;anonymous caller&rdquo; saw one of the department&rsquo;s posts and identified the suspect as Velez.<\/p>\n<p>Officers were also given Velez&rsquo;s Instagram handle. The case took a sudden turn after investigators made a new discovery.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Officers then found Marlena&rsquo;s TikTok account, which documents her getting ready on October 30, 2024, in the same outfit and glasses and going to Target,&rdquo; the CCPD wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Velez has more than 300,000 social media followers.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Marlena documents herself picking out items inside the store and placing them in her car after exiting the store.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/tiktok-vlogger-allegedly-stole-target-caught-when-posted-video-8751457\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">People<\/a>, Velez was seen taking a Stanley mug, a cosmetics bag and a milk-and-cookies set. Multiple other shopping bags full of items were taken.<\/p>\n<p>The videos have since been removed from Velez&rsquo;s accounts.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities found Velez shortly after the discovery of her social media accounts and the apparently incriminating videos. She was arrested and booked into the Lee County Jail on one count of petit theft.<\/p>\n<p>She was released on bond shortly after her arrest.<\/p>\n<p>The ease of finding the apparent culprit was not lost on police officers.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;She essentially incriminated herself,&rdquo; CCPD spokesperson Riley Carter told <a href=\"https:\/\/tribune.com.pk\/story\/2511437\/criminal-history-of-tiktoker-marlena-velez-revealed-after-target-shoplifting-arrest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Express Tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Social media gave us an unexpected lead, which expedited her identification and subsequent arrest.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A social media influencer was apprehended after authorities claimed she was caught shoplifting through videos on her own account. Marlena Velez, 22, was arrested on November 21 by the Cape Coral Police Department in Florida. The police were alerted to the incident a day earlier when they received a call from a local Target store. Velez&#8217;s alleged method seemed more complex than merely stealing small, expensive items; she reportedly scanned fake barcodes at self-checkout to pay less for various goods. According to police reports, she stole sixteen items valued at over $500. After sharing her image online in hopes of identifying her, an anonymous tip led them to Velez and her Instagram handle. Investigators later discovered TikTok videos showing her shopping at Target in the same outfit worn during the theft. Following this evidence, she was arrested and charged with petty theft but released shortly after posting bail. Police noted that social media played a crucial role in quickly identifying and apprehending her<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2374141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/velez.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[7204,39788,20737,32364],"class_list":["post-2374140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-crime","tag-police-investigation","tag-shoplifting","tag-social-media"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/velez.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2374140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2374140"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2374140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2374144,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2374140\/revisions\/2374144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2374141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2374140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2374140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2374140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}