The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A 22-year-old TikTok influencer is facing charges after posting a video showing her wearing items the authorities believe she stole from Target.
On October 30 in Cape Coral, Florida, a woman went to a Target store for a shopping trip. After collecting her items, she went to the self-checkout to ring up and pay for the purchase. According to reports, the woman had sixteen pieces of merchandise with an approximate total value of $500 but paid much less by scanning a fake barcode instead of the ones on the items. Loss prevention noticed the allegedly illegal transaction and notified the authorities.
The police asked the public for help locating the woman in a post they made that included pictures of her. When one of the influencer’s 300,000+ TikTok followers saw the photos of the suspect that the Cape Coral Police Department posted on social media, they came forward anonymously and gave the authorities her Instagram information. It was reported that when they checked out the account, they determined she was the person they were looking for when they saw her wearing what was believed to be some of the allegedly stolen merchandise. She also reportedly included video clips depicting her walking around the store with merchandise in her cart before stealing it and putting the goods in her trunk.
On November 21, the woman, who was arrested in 2017 for grand theft auto and in 2023 for shoplifting, was taken into custody and booked into the Lee County Jail. She is facing preliminary charges of one count of petit theft over $100 but less than $750. She was released shortly after her arrest after posting a $150 cash bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.