Florida TikToker Arrested By Cops For Stealing From Target transcript

I'm going to need you to put your hands behind your back. Wait, what? Put your hands behind your back. Wait, don't fight it. Don't fight it. Don't fight it. That was Tik Tocker Marina VeZ during one of her arrests for stealing from a Target store. Now, I have footage no one has seen until now of another one of her arrests and what she had to say. I'm going to be real with you. Okay, so there's security video footage of you um stealing from Target.

[Music] Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Anget Levy. Marina VeZ is a Tik Tocker with a pretty decent following on the app. She talks about her beauty regimen and the products she uses and even posts videos of herself with her family and just doing things around the house. But last fall, Marina got into some hot water with the cops for stealing from Target and how she did it. Officers with the Cape Coral Police Department went to Marina Veles's house on November 21st after they got a call from Target.

Hey, hey, just run this tag real quick when you come up. Loss prevention officers at Target had noticed Marina VeZ doing something fishy on security cameras at the selfch checkout. So, the officers waited to talk to her. Hello, Gore Police. I'm Marina. Do you have a second? Um, yes. Can I just put a jacket on? Absolutely. Go ahead. Okay. As soon as she comes out, put the jacket on. She answered the no. She's just getting a jacket.

No, I mean no. [Music] Soon as she comes up, as soon as she comes up, the officers had a game plan, and you can actually hear Marina Vez in her home on the phone on another officer's body camera. Hello, Nana. 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. There's something that happened at Walmart, but I need you to come stay with them, please.

I don't I don't have anyone else to come. I don't have these 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 you cannot call anyone else because they're sleeping and they Like, are you going to be on your way now? Okay. Do All right. Don't call anyone else. So, Marina Vez comes out of her house to talk. Are are you able to talk?

Are you are the are you the only one home or? No, 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? I will figure out an arrangement for your kids. This is a law and crime legal alert.

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Here's another view of Marina coming out of the house. 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. Right. Okay. Wait, can we like wait inside? You don't have anything on you, right? You have anything here. Thank you. Press your feet. I'm just going to back my hand. All right. You don't have any weapons or anything. Open the door so you can get air conditioning.

Now, back to that first body camera angle with the arresting officer. 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 yet. Why is this 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?

So, here's that footage the officer was referring to. It's from a Target and it shows Marina walking into the Cape Coral Target last fall with her significant other and her children. They shop and then they make their way to that selfch checkckout with a cart full of stuff, the kids in tow. Then Marina starts scanning. At first, it's a pair of slippers and other items. Then she grabs some children's clothing. But look closely, very closely.

Valz is not scanning the tag for the clothing. She has another tag in her hand, and she's scanning that tag instead of the tag for the clothes. Then she does it again for other household items. Scanning one item, but not the others. And then take a look at this. She actually doesn't even scan items here. She takes clothes directly from the cart and puts them in the bag. So, this is what led Target loss prevention to contact Cape Coral Police.

Now, back to the body warning camera footage from November 21st. Wait for her to come here, but we'll we'll walk to my car in the meantime. I'm going to take a photo. 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. Wait, can we like wait inside? I'm cold. Or am I? No, you're 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, we're going to go on the other side. Hands. You stand here, face the car, and then spread your feet. I'm just going to patch you down with the back of my hand. All right. Make sure you don't have any weapons or anything. I'm going to open the door so you can get um air conditioning right.

Well, not air conditioning, but like, you know, not the heater, but just constant air flow, so it doesn't get stuffy. Then the arresting officers discuss whether another arrest will be made before trying to talk to Marina Vez. Does Nick Jones 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. Okay. I mean, is this a is a video good on him?

I don't know. I don't know what I do. I'm not here to click in this part of my 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. Anything you say can't be used against you in court. You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions and to have them 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? I need a verbal. Yes. Yes. With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me? Um, yes. Okay. Do you know why we're here? No. just asked you 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? 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? Walmart? Walmart? Not Target? I do shop at Target. Okay. Um, do you remember an incident in October? Um, okay. Um, I don't remember the exact dates that I go.

Okay, that's fine. Um, 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 October. Yeah. tell tell me if it you know if I have it wrong or or what or correct me if I have a if you have a different point of view. Um you go to a selfch checkout. Um you have a separate little barcode scanner. You scan multiple times rings up for a dollar and then you take the merchandise pass 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. So, at this point, Marina Vez has waved her right to an attorney and she has agreed to speak to the officer. And what's interesting about her bringing up Walmart, she was actually arrested in 2023 and pleated no contest to doing the exact same thing, under ringing items at a selfch checkckout.

Now, she doesn't seem to remember doing it during the shopping trip to Target. 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.

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 um boyfriend. Okay. I just don't have his number. So, Okay. How do we get his number? The only number? It's on my phone. Oh, okay. Well, I'm bringing your phone to the jail. Um, once we get to the jail, uh, 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, uh, 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. No. Either I don't know. 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. Tomorrow morning. Correct. 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 there might that's what that's what happens when you steal. You know what I mean? There might be a second periods at 11, but I'm not sure. Yeah, there there might, like I said, the benefit to you right now is that it's really early and that they haven't even opened yet.

So, Marina is clearly not happy about the possibility of spending the night in jail. If we're able to How long does it take? What? 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 um to come and watch the kids, hopefully 7:30 right now, if I can knock out the paperwork and there's no line at the jail, it's probably going to take us what with uh morning traffic 30 minutes to get to the jail.

It's downtown Fort Myers. So, that's at 8:00, maybe 10:30. Okay. Okay. And I, 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. What do you 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? 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. 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. Do you feel comfortable with it's your grandma you said? Yeah. Coming here and watching over the kids. Yeah. Okay. No, she um watches my mom. I just want to make sure that we if we take you to jail that you're giving or the caretaker custody of your kids in the meantime. Oh, no. Yeah, she watches them all the time. Okay, good. Do you happen to have your ID in the house?

Um, just for the jail purpose. I think I do. Sometimes it's like in my little wallet and I leave it in like my pants pockets, but Okay. It's either in my purse or like in one of my pants pockets. I don't know about you, but Marina VeZ seems annoyed and inconvenienced, at least to me, as I watch this. Look, no one wants to be awakened early in the morning like this. But the cops tell her they have her dead to rights and she has done this before.

Jail's going to ask cuz they they usually like an ID. So, what? Give me your first name. Spell it for me. M A R Mhm. L E N A. You have a middle name? Um, Lynn. L Y N. Okay. And your last name? VZ. V E L E Z. Is your primary residence here? Yeah. All right. Where were you born? What city, state? Uh, New York. New York. New York. New York. Yes. Are you employed? Um, let's see. I'm just trying to think cuz there's other questions I just got to ask you about, you know, demographics and stuff, but I may ask you later cuz I have to pull it up.

I'm just trying to see if I remember everything. That'll be all for now. Any other questions, comments, concerns that I can answer for you? Just trying to be real with you, that's all. Um, nope. I just need two. Okay, that's fine. I'll close the door now. Okay. 2411 10 for a tilt tight. The interesting part about this is that Marina Vez says she is not employed. I was under the impression that she worked as an influencer on TikTok making decent money.

But after her arrest, Marina claimed she had no income and asked the court and was given a public defender. She listed her income as zero. That right there shows you that things on social media are definitely not what they seem. Now, back to the video where officers collect Marina's phone. I guess the two in the same thing a the other target. So yeah, I don't know if 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 start showing her pictures. It's all right. She don't want I want I don't I want that. No 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% 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 easy to identify her. You know what I mean? Oh, absolutely.

As soon as she opened the door and then she just gave me her touch. So, it's crazy. Yep. All right. Yeah. Thank you. The investigating officer walks to the house where another officer is keeping an eye on Viza's young children. Just wait. grandma all the way here. Okay. The the one-year-old sleeping in her bed. Okay. Just hang out. I told him his mom has to go pick up his dad. So that's why we're here. I told him that his mom has to pick up his dad.

Yes. Yes. We're here just to watch. Okay. Um, I'll just be outside working on what you Red Miranda. 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 it No. I'm going to get working. Everything's good. Thank you. Of course. Thank you. Yes, sir. Um I'm going to get working on the UBS. We're just waiting for grandma to come. I'm going to let her speak to grandma and then take custody of the kids.

Sounds good. And then I'll head out. But I'll work on the UBS in the meantime. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Get get them done so you don't, you know, take home that'll be good enough already to ride as long as you get out of here. traffic. Yeah, especially on that bridge. Yeah. Then Marina Velesa's grandmother shows up to care for the children and the conversation is recorded. So what happened? Do you know? He said something at Target.

Like some stuff had been Target or or Walmart? Which one? He said Target. Well, you better figure it out. I have to I have to call because I had to cancel my eye doctor 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. Wait. Yeah. Don't call anyone else. Tell him do not I mean I'll tell him, but tell him do not call anyone. But I'm going to call him. Anastasia's not going to prek today, right?

Take her. Oh, no. I'm not going to do that because then I have to get by myself. I say up too. Okay. She could scan something. All right. Love you. Love you, too. Remember what I said. Don't worry. Don't worry. I got it. Okay. Thank you. Of course. Just real quick, ma'am. I'm going to Do you have your driver's license with you? Cuz I have to document who the kids were left in city. Yeah, I'm the great grandma. Oh, okay.

She's my granddaughter. Why they get into this these young kids nowadays? Yeah, she's in a little bit of trouble. Why three police cars? I'm sorry to ask that. Oh, no. Just we were This is the beginning of our shift. Then Marina VeZ and the arresting officer make their way to the jail where he explains again what will happen when she gets there. After you see the judge, uh they'll the judge will be the one that either issues you a bond, um they'll release you or if they feel that you might be a flight risk, like you're going to flee or something like that.

But if they don't feel that way, you'll probably be released on bond or something like that. Marina was booked into the jail on a petty theft charge and released after posting bail. She released a statement. While there will be a time to discuss my wrongings, now is not that moment. And it doesn't mean I don't want to speak on it or take accountability for my actions, it means everything is still being dealt with in the court.

So, I just ask to please respect that. I also want to be clear that this doesn't define who I am and it doesn't reflect the person I strive to be. 9 days after Marina Veza's first arrest, police picked her up again after they said she'd been identified for a second target incident. I'm going to need you to put your hands behind your back. Wait, what? Put your hands behind your back. Wait, don't fight. Don't fight it.

Don't fight it. Wait, I have to put you. I will talk to you in a second. All right, just give us a second. Just give us a second. Bro, this is why I told you. Call um Sydney. Call my dad. Call my grandma. Tell him to call my lawyer now. 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. After her arrest, I spoke with a Cape Coral police spokesperson about the case.

So, Lisa, you guys get this call and the woman is accused of scanning barcodes that are for cheaper items. That is still a theft uh you know, of items even though she paid a lesser amount. And the difference was about $500. Yeah, that's right. So essentially, our officers were able to determine along with the loss prevention officers at the Target that this woman was scanning false barcodes for cheaper items instead of paying the full price for the items that she was actually purchasing.

Marina VeZ resolved her petty theft cases by entering a no contest plea to the misdemeanor charges she faced. She's barred from entering any Target stores. VeZ will be on probation until March of 2026. And just to let you know, I reached out to her for a comment. At the time of this recording, I had not yet heard back from her. And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Anget Levy. Thanks so much for being with me.

I'll see you back here next time.