(December 2, 2024) — On Saturday, November 30, 2024, at approximately 1120 hours, officers working for the Cape Coral Police Department were dispatched to Target, located at 1890 NE Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, Florida, in reference to a retail theft.
Officers met with Target’s loss prevention staff, who advised that on November 20, 2024, a known repeat female suspect, Marlena Velez (DOB 08/16/2002), entered the store and selected items that were listed for sale. Once at the self-checkout register, the female suspect did not scan some of the items but rather scanned a false barcode instead of the real barcodes on the merchandise. Sixteen items of miscellaneous household goods and clothing were stolen. The total loss of the stolen items is valued at $225.00.
Officers recognized Marlena Velez from a prior arrest and were able to positively identify her. Officers were also able to positively identify Velez after reviewing the security video footage from this case and observing the wallpaper picture on Velez’s phone. The picture was the same one that was posted on Marlena Velez’s Instagram account with her and her family and is the same wallpaper picture from the previous case. Furthermore, in this case, an adult male was present with her during the theft. 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.
They responded to her address and placed her under arrest. She was taken to the Lee County Jail on the following charges:
–1 count in violation of F.S.S. 812.014(3a), Petit theft.Â
Arrested: Marlena Velez (DOB 08/16/2002)
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