On November 20th, 2024, Cape Coral officers were called to Target after a woman had allegedly stolen $500.32 worth of merchandise. Upon further investigation, police discovered a Tik Tok post made by the suspect, 22-year-old Marina Valz, which depicted a quote day in the life as a mom video, which showed her loading her vehicle with Target merchandise. Further investigations revealed that the merchandise featured in her post matched that of the items stolen from Target. But before cops could secure an arrest warrant, they'd first speak with an exfriend of the suspect to obtain crucial details to sharpen their investigation. >> Hello. >> Hello. This is Officer Aldo with the Cape Coral Police Department. >> Hello. Um, yeah. Sorry, I'm just at work. Can you step outside real quick? >> Sure, no problem. >> Okay. Yeah, I was calling cuz I saw the post um that was made on the Instagram. I used to go to school with this girl and it kind of looks like her. I mean, I don't talk to her anymore, but I still follow her on social medias, but it looks just like her. >> Her name is Marina VeZ. >> You don't happen to have a phone number or anything like that for her, right? >> I only have her Instagram and like her Tik Tok, but that's about it. >> Do you school together, but not anymore? >> Okay. How long ago was that? >> I want to say maybe 2014, 13. like it was forever ago. >> Oh, okay. Um, >> yeah, but I still have her on social media and stuff like that. >> What is Do you know? Do you have her social media handle by chance? >> Yes. So, Instagram is just her whole name altogether and then I believe her Tik Tok is the same exact thing. Let me just double check. Yeah. So, her Tik Tok it would be the same thing, Marina VeZ, but then with two Z's at the end. >> Okay. >> And I think she's public, too. >> Oh, that that works. I'll take a look. Do you know if um Marina has any children? >> Yes, she has two kids. They're little. >> Okay. Is this something that you wanted to stay anonymous for? Or are you willing? >> She could be. Yeah. >> Okay, that's fine. I I do appreciate the information. If I do have any additional questions, I'll just give you a call. If if you don't answer, I'll just leave a voicemail. But I do appreciate all that information. After obtaining a thorough description of the suspect, cops would indeed confirm her identity as 22-year-old Marina Valz and was further cooperated by Target's CCTV footage on the day of the incident. Cops now had all of the information needed and went to Marina's house to pay her a surprise visit. Hey, hey, just run this tag real quick when you come up. >> 79 alpha sierra limit whiskey krento grain collar probably. >> K4, please. Let's see if she's uh available to talk to us real quick. Hello, Gore Police. I'm Marina. Do you have a second? >> Um, yes. Can I just put a jacket on? >> Absolutely. Go ahead. >> Okay. >> She answered the door. She's just getting a jacket. >> She knows what's up. >> No, I mean, no. >> I'll get a jacket to actually as soon as she comes out. >> As soon as she comes out. >> Are Are you able to talk? Are you Are the Are you the only one home or >> My kids are home. Okay. Is anybody else home? >> No, it's just my good. >> Okay. Do you mind if you talk to us real quick? Sure. >> So, I want to talk to you about a certain incident. Okay. But before I do that, I'm going to ask you to turn around. Okay. Put your hands behind your back. Okay. >> Okay. Um, what about my kids? >> All right. I will figure out an arrangement for your kids. >> I can I just call my >> Yeah, you can. You can. >> Okay. >> So, we'll give you that opportunity. All right. >> Can I change? >> No. No. Not right now. >> How? Like I'm literally freezing. Like understand that I'm not allowed to change. >> No. >> Like my kids are literally babies. >> I understand that. I saw them in the security video footage. >> What security video? >> Okay. I'm going to I'm going to bring you to my car. Okay. >> Wait. Um is your uh >> Where's your >> Are you kid sleeping or >> Yes, they're sleeping. >> You need to call your >> Yes, I do. >> That's fine. We'll do that for you. >> Hello. Can you come to the house now, please? I need you. I need you to stay with the kids because I'm I'm getting arrested right now. I don't know. This is something that happened at Lumber, but I need you to come stay with them, please. I don't have anyone else to come. I know how parents like I the only one I know I can trust is you. Yeah, I don't know, but I literally the only person I can call right now is you like or don't call anyone else. >> We'll uh wait for her to come here, but we'll we'll walk to my car in the meantime. I'm going to take a call. Thank you. >> How old are your kids? >> Um 3 and 1. >> I'm going to stay right here just in case I wake up. He's not leaving until someone else comes here. >> Okay. Can we like wait inside? I'm cold or am I >> No, I'm going to be in my car. It'll be warmer in there. >> You don't have anything on you, right? I know you just woke up, but do you have anything in pockets or anything like that? >> No. I wish I would be able to change though. >> Okay. I'm going to go on the other side. >> Just stand here. Face the car. I'm just going to pat you down with the back of my hand. All right. >> This little gentleman's got charges as well. I'm going to call him, give him the opportunity to if he has found probable cause, but I don't know if he's found PC for his. >> Okay. I mean, it just says it's a video good on him. >> I don't know. I don't know what to do. >> I'm just going to read you something. Okay. You just listen. If you want to talk to me after, that's fine. You have the right to remain silent. >> With these prizes in mind, do you wish to speak to me? >> Um, yes. >> Okay. Do you know why we're here? >> No. I just I see that earlier. >> Okay. I know you had said something. You thought it was something to do with Walmart on the phone? Okay. Why do you think that? >> I don't know. He said something about security camera footage. >> Okay. >> And I remember I was only at Walmart yesterday. So, >> Gotcha. All right. Well, do you shop at Target often? >> Walmart? >> Walmart? Not Target? >> I do shop at Target. >> Okay. Do you remember an incident in October? >> Um, >> okay. >> I don't remember the exact dates that I go. >> Okay, that's fine. So, I'm going to be real with you. Okay. So, there's security video footage of you um stealing from Target. Okay. Um, you go to >> work. >> Yeah. Tell tell me if it, you know, if I have it wrong or or what. You go to a selfch checkout. You have a separate little barcode scanner. You scan multiple times. It rings up for a dollar. And then you take the merchandise, pass the scanner, and put everything in a bag. You do that multiple times to multiple items. And then you put it in the cart that has your two kids in it. So, I was just wondering kind of what was going through your head at that point >> in October. >> Yeah. >> Don't remember doing that. >> Okay. You don't remember doing that? No. >> Okay. All right. I mean, that's fine that you don't remember, but it happened. It's on video. That's submitted into our evidence department. Okay. So, that's what you're being arrested for is theft. All right. So, we're going to head down to the Lee County Jail based off of that. Do you have any questions or do you have any comments? >> I do. I >> Okay, go ahead. I'm here. >> I need to call my boyfriend. Okay. >> I just don't have his number. So, >> Okay. Uh, do we get his number? >> It's on my phone. >> Oh, okay. Well, I'm bringing your phone to the jail. Once we get to the jail, there's a booking process. So, I have to do some paperwork. Right. Once I finish my paperwork, I hand you over to the Lee County Sheriff's Office deputies intake. They grab you. They get the phones out uh the numbers out your phone. Okay. So, that at that point is when you'll get the number for your boyfriend and you'll be able to call him once I transfer custody to for the jail. Okay. >> Okay. And then what after? >> That's up to you and the judge. You have to speak to the judge. You might make it in time for first appearance. You might not. That's depending on the whole booking process. Okay. But if you do, you might speak to them this morning. If not, you'll speak to them tomorrow morning. >> So like what does that mean? >> What do you mean? You'll be held in the jail until you are able to speak to the judge. >> What even? Like >> that's what that's what happens when you steal. You know what I mean? >> There might be a second appearance at 11, but I'm not sure. >> Like I said, only the benefit to you right now is that it's really early and that they haven't even opened yet. So if we're able to >> How long does it take? But this whole process, me doing the paperwork and stuff and getting you into the jail. >> Well, since we do have to wait for whoever you called to come and watch the kids, hopefully if I can knock out the paperwork and there's no line at the jail, it's probably going to take us what, maybe 10:30. >> And like I said, I'll try and do my best. >> I don't want to be in the jail as much as you >> how much um it was at Target. Do you know how much >> it's a misdemeanor charge? So, I would just be careful because there are other cases open. Okay. You didn't just steal from this target on this particular day. You also did it multiple other times. Okay? So, there may be other charges pending. But right now, me and my I'm investigating a certain case. I have found probable cause to make an arrest for my case. There are other cases right now that are being investigated. I'm just giving you that heads up. So, right now, you have a misdemeanor charge with me, but you may have a felony down the road. Just letting you know. >> So, there's other ones open. Like, what does that mean? >> There may be. I I don't know. I'm not saying that you're >> understanding how there may be. I only go to one target. >> Well, that's not true, you know, because we have you on security video footage at others. Okay. >> What others? >> I'm not I don't I don't know specifics about other cases. All I know is this case is my case and I like I said, I found probable cause to make an arrest. Okay. Do you have any other questions or comments? >> Will I be able to talk to um my grandma before she goes? >> Yeah, I'll let her talk to you. Any other questions, comments, concerns we can answer for you? Just trying to be real with you, that's all. Um, no. But I just moved two box. >> Okay, that's fine. I'll close the door now. Okay. >> I guess she she was doing the same thing at the the other Target. So, yeah. I don't know. You know. >> Yeah. She's just claiming I mean, I read her she was willing to talk, but she's claiming she doesn't remember. So, >> we just started showing her pictures. >> It's all right. >> She don't want I want I don't I want that. >> Yeah. Go ahead. Oh, conference. >> No, I I don't need to come. I was just going to I wasn't I don't want to tell her about the investigation. >> No, 100% agree. >> Public social cuz I don't want her to go home and delete everything. >> No. No. Yeah. 100% 100% I agree with you. So, >> just left it at that. >> It was easier to fire, you know. >> Oh, absolutely. As soon as they just gave me her seat, too. It's crazy. >> All right. Yeah, I'll stay here. Just me and my grandma. I'll wait here. >> Okay. >> The one-year-old sleeping in her bed. >> Okay. I told him his mom has to go pick up his dad's phone. That's why we're here. What do you mean? >> Red Marine, but I don't know anything. >> What does your grandma drive? >> It's a white um car, right? >> Okay. >> Yeah, it's a Chevy. >> Okay. Making sure them right there. >> No. Yeah. >> Everything's good. Man, >> thank you. >> Just making sure. >> Of course. >> I mean, if you guys don't need me for anything else, I'm about to take call. >> Okay. Marina's grandma now arrives on scene to take care of the kids while Valz is in jail. >> Ma'am, she's over here. She wants to talk to you. >> Yeah, she's right. >> So, what happened? >> She said something at Target. Like some stuff. >> Target or Walmart? Which one? >> She said Target. >> Well, you better figure it out. I have to call because I had to cancel my doctor's appointment. Okay. I'll text you and tell him. >> Yes. But don't call anyone else. >> I won't. I won't. I won't. >> Yeah. >> Don't call anyone else. Do not I mean, I'll tell him, but tell him do not call anyone today. But I'm going to call him. >> He's not going to prek today, right? >> Oh, no. I'm not going to do that because then I have to get Papa Isaiah up too. Okay. She could cancel today. All right. >> Love you. >> Love you, too. Remember what I said. >> Bye. Don't worry. Don't worry. I got it. Okay. Thank you. Of course, >> Tik Tok influencer Marina VeZ was charged with misdemeanor petty retail theft in the first degree. She was given a $150 pre-trial cash bond. VeZ pled no contest to her charges on December 9th, 2024. But 4 months later on March 4th, 2025, a judge found her guilty on all charges. She was given probation with the conditions of staying away from all Target locations, paying $725.32 cents in restitution to Target, attending and completing 20 days in the Lee County Sheriff's Day work program, and she was also ordered to pay $220 in court fees. These conditions didn't frighten Marina though as on June 25th, 2025, with just 3 days remaining in the Lee County work program, Veles was caught concealing her cell phone and bringing it into the program, which violated the conditions of her probation and led to an arrest warrant being issued on July 29th, 2025, where she is currently being held in custody. without bond.