Dive into the muddy crime story of a Cape Coral TikToker

More details about a TikTok star’s criminal history are emerging. Cape Coral police confirmed that 22-year-old Marlena Velez was arrested as a teenager on charges including car theft. CCPD said Velez was arrested Thursday after she posted a video of herself stealing $500 worth of merchandise from a Target in Cape Coral. The video, which went viral, served as crucial evidence for Cape Coral police to track down and arrest her. CCPD confirmed that Velez was arrested and charged with grand larceny of a motor vehicle in October 2019, when Velez was 17 years old. Amanda Santana, Velez’s former high school girlfriend, says Velez stole her car, breaking up their high school friendship. Santana says their bond began in a classroom at Ida Baker High School. “She had a class with me and we kind of got along there. We also took a trip to Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights,” Santana said. Just a week after that outing, Santana said things took a drastic turn. One morning, Santana said Velez asked her to sit in her car during class until lunchtime. Santana confided in her friend and said she handed her the keys: “I went to the parking lot and looked around for my car and I can’t find it, so I took another good look at it and asked myself, ” “Where’s my car?” she said. Hours later, Santana said Velez was nowhere to be found. “We found out that she crashed my car at a Dunkin’ on Cape Coral Parkway and drove it into a ditch,” Santana said. The 2019 car theft marked the beginning of Velez’s alleged run-ins with the law. Records show Velez was arrested again in July 2023, this time for shoplifting at a Walmart on Del Prado Boulevard in Cape Coral. The report states that video footage captured “a woman, later identified as Marlena Velez, at the self-checkout counter among pinging items” by scanning an item and then placing another item under the scanned item… “In the CCPD- Report said she stole kitchen items worth a total of $63. As of April 2024, CCPD records show Velez pleaded no contest to the charges. Records show she completed an anti-theft course and was on probation for six months until last month. But on Thursday, police said Velez struck again, stealing hundreds of dollars worth of household items and clothing from the Target on Pine Island Road in Santana. Says the arrest isn’t a surprise considering what she’s experienced over the years has. “I went through nursing school and worked my butt off, and she’s out there living her best life making money,” Santana said. “There is a refund that she didn’t pay for. And actually not even a cent that she paid. “Your advice? “Never believe social media.” NBC2 contacted a phone number registered to Velez. A woman who identified herself as Velez’s sister declined to comment, saying she would not ask Velez if she would like to comment. This case is still under investigation. Stay with NBC2 for updates.