On November 21st, 2024 in Cape Corral, Florida, police approached 22-year-old Marlina Vez after linking her to a Target shoplifting case. >> Hey, are are you able to talk? Are you are you the only one home or >> My kids are home. >> Okay. Is anybody else home? >> No, it's just my kids. >> Okay. Do you mind if you talk to us real quick? Sure. So, uh, 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. My eyes is locked. >> How? >> Like I'm literally freezing. Like 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 footage? >> Okay. I'm going to I'm going to bring you in my car. Okay. >> Wait. Um, is your uh >> Where's your kids sleeping or where's your phone? You need to call your >> Yes, I do. >> That's fine. We'll do that for you. >> Wait for her to come here, but we'll we'll walk to my car in the meantime. >> Okay. >> I'm going to take a part. Thank you. >> How old are your kids? >> Um, three and one. >> I'm going to stay right here just in case I wake up. He's not leaving until someone else comes. All right. >> Okay. We can we like wait inside? cold or am going to be my it'll be warmer in there. I'm going to open the door so you can get um air conditioning right. Do you know why we're here? >> No, I just asked you that earlier. >> Okay. I know you had said something. He thought it was something to do with Walmart >> on the phone. Okay. Why do you think that? >> Um 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, um do you shop at Target often? >> I do shop at Target. >> Okay. Do you remember an incident in October? >> Um >> Okay. Um, >> 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 a selfch checkout. Um, you have a separate little barcode scanner. You scan multiple times. It rings up for a dollar and then you take the merchandise past the scanner and put everything in a bag. And you do that multiple times to multiple items. Um, 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, it's fine that you don't remember, but it happened. It's on video. Um, 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. 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? >> Do you know how much? >> It's a 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. Okay. 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 coming. Just letting you know. I I >> So there's other ones open. Like what does that mean? If >> 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 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. >> On November 21st, 2024, Marlina Veles was arrested and taken to the police station for questioning after officers began investigating a theft at Target. But this wasn't the end. It was just the beginning. Police kept digging, reviewing surveillance footage, and tracking her online activity. Nine days later on November 30th, Cape Coral police returned to her home to formally arrest her after confirming her identity through store footage and her public Tik Tok account where her tattoos and phone wallpaper matched the suspect seen in the video. >> So, you know how I said that there was going to be some follow-up investigations the first time I saw you? This is one of them. All right. So, I'm going to need you to put your hands behind your back. >> Wait, what? >> Put your hands behind your back. >> Don't fight. Don't fight it. Don't fight it. >> I have to talk to you in a second. All right. Just give us a sec. Just give us a sec. >> Bro, this is why I told you. Call um Sydney. >> CALL CALL MY DAD. CALL MY GRANDMA. Tell him to call my lawyer now. >> Hold on. Just stay over there. >> You guys said that you guys were just coming for a follow. Yep. This is a followup. >> This is a followup right now that we're doing. >> I told her this the first time I saw her, >> but I don't understand why you guys are putting handcuffs. >> Can you just call someone? >> Need shoes. Do you have shoes? Does she have shoes at the front? >> You got to be fucking kidding me. I told you not to open the door. over here in my car, bro. >> Yeah, you don't have anything on you. No weapons, no nothing. Nothing illegal. Take a seat. We'll have a female officer here in a second. Ridiculous. Sure. Stay with her. >> Yeah, stay with her dogs, man. All right. Like I said, you're being arrested for theft. >> I need to talk to my fiance. >> I'm going to read this to you. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can't be used against you in court. You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before he asks you any questions and have him with you during questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. If you decide to answer questions without a lawyer present, you will still have the right to stop answering at any time. You also have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to a lawyer. Do you understand each of these rights I've explained to you? >> Yes or no? >> I need to talk to my fiance. >> It's a yes or a no. Do you understand your rights? Yes. With these rights in mind, you wish to speak to me? >> No. >> Like I said, you're being arrested for theft. Okay. >> Well, I need to talk to him before I go. >> Why is that? >> I just need to ask him a question. >> What's the question? I'll ask him. >> Um, if he called my lawyer, >> he said something like that. Yeah. >> Can you bring him over here? I just like >> No, I'm not bringing him over here. >> But you did it last time with my grandma, so I'm not >> Correct. But I'm waiting for a female officer to search you, so I'm not bringing him over here. >> But I don't understand. >> I don't have to have I don't have to do that. That's That's the thing. >> Do you even have a written arrest? >> What >> do you have a written arrest? >> What does that mean? >> Like a uh like they allowed you to come and arrest. >> What does that mean? >> A written arrest. I don't I'm not understanding that. >> I have probable cause to arrest you if that's what you mean. >> What? >> I have probable cause to arrest you right now. If that's what you mean. I just need to talk to him. >> Okay, >> you can hop out. Just going to have a female search you and go back inside. >> After being taken into custody, VeZ was transported to the Lee County Jail for booking. She was charged with pettit theft, accused of stealing over $225 worth of merchandise from Target. Officers noted she was a repeat offender with previous theft cases already on record. Body cam footage shows VeZ remaining calm as officers read her rights before escorting her out. What began as a small self-checkout scam ended with another arrest and a reminder that in Cape Corral, even minor thefts don't stay hidden for