CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A Cape Coral TikTok influencer, previously charged with stealing from Target several times and then posting what was stolen, is back behind bars. But this time, it wasn't for stealing.
According to police, Marlena Velez violated her probation stemming from the thefts, which she plead no contest to in March 2025.
Officers said on Sept. 29, they saw her car driving near 800 Cultural Park Boulevard. Because of her previous arrests, police said they knew her.
When they tried to pull her over, police said she sped off as the officer was getting out of his car.
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Police said they did not pursue her because they were in a residential neighborhood and children were around.
The officers said they had been looking for her and went to her home, but Velez didn't answer the door. However, they said she knew she was home and in the area because she was still posting on TikTok.
Then, on Oct. 12, police said they saw her car again and that Velez was in the passenger seat.
As they pulled the car over and the officer went up to the car, they said something didn't add up.
"Suddenly, Marlena Velez is no longer in the passenger seat. So the officer asked where did she go?" said Mercedes Simonds, Public Information Officer. "Where is she? And shines the flashlight in the backseat and finds Marlena Velez hiding in the floorboard in front of her child’s car seat."
The officer pulled her out and arrested her for the probation violation warrant. She was also charged with fleeing from police.
The police department said they did not know what she did to violate her probation, but said there is no indication it was another theft.
