A worker dressed as Chuck E. Cheese was arrested in Tallahassee, Florida, after being accused of theft by a customer.
The incident occurred on Wednesday night, where 41-year-old Jermel Jarreau Jones was taken into custody and escorted out of the restaurant in handcuffs.
Children in the establishment witnessed the event unfold, as police officers arrived at the Chuck E. Cheese location in northwest Tallahassee around 7:30 p.m. local time.
According to the arrest report from the Tallahassee Police Department, Officer Jarrett Cruz confronted Jones in full mascot attire during the arrest.
Cruz recounted that he initially told Jones to come with him, but the mascot resisted.
The officer noted, “Jones immediately started tensing up, locking both of his arms forward in front of his chest and attempted to pull away from my grip on his right arm,” emphasizing that he had to instruct Jones to stop resisting once again.
The officers attempted to handle the situation discreetly, advising Jones not to create a scene.
As the situation escalated, the officers had to exert physical effort to place Jones’s arms behind his back, ultimately securing him in double-locked handcuffs after some struggle.
Upon escorting him out to a nearby patrol vehicle, police discovered a debit card belonging to a customer in his pants pocket.
This debit card had been reported stolen during a child’s party at the Chuck E. Cheese on June 28.
Jones was subsequently charged with felony larceny of a debit card and possession of another person’s identification without consent.
Authorities alleged that he used the stolen debit card on six separate occasions, making purchases at venues including a smoke shop, a meat market, and Whataburger.
When questioned, Jones denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the card was in his possession because he had just found it and intended to turn it in to the restaurant’s lost and found.
A spokesperson for Chuck E. Cheese responded to the incident by stating, “We are aware of an incident involving a part-time employee arrested at our Tallahassee location on Wednesday, July 23.
We have taken the appropriate action concerning the subject employee.
The police have not reached out to us about this; please contact the local Tallahassee police department for any questions.”
The victim of the debit card theft played a crucial role in identifying Jones.
After noticing unusual charges on her card, she took the initiative to track down security footage from the meat market where the card was used.
Recognizing the man in the video as an employee at Chuck E. Cheese, she promptly contacted law enforcement.
Meeting with police outside the restaurant, she confirmed that she wished to press charges against Jones.
An officer returned inside to find the mascot and determined from a nearby employee that he was indeed on the premises.
The bizarre circumstances surrounding this arrest left many children present bewildered, as they witnessed the humorous yet serious situation unfold around their beloved mascot.
This incident highlights the lengths to which some individuals may go, even while dressed as a beloved character, and serves as a reminder of the importance of community vigilance in preventing theft.
image source from：abcnews
