Police in Tallahassee, Florida, arrested a man dressed as the character Chuck E. Cheese after a customer of the restaurant accused him of stealing and using her debit card.
Cops went to the city’s Chuck E. Cheese location Wednesday and arrested Jermell Jarreau Jones, 41, who is charged with stealing the Visa debit/credit card, criminally using that person’s ID information and using the card more than twice for more than $100, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police identified Mr. Jones as a suspect after the victim accused him. The victim had lost her card at the Chuck E. Cheese on June 28 and afterward noticed unauthorized charges, including purchases at a smoke shop, convenience and grocery stores, multiple meat markets and Whataburger for a total of $105.57, according to the affidavit.
The victim went to one of the meat markets and asked for security footage of one of the purchases being made, then told police the man she saw making the purchase was Mr. Jones, recognizing him from Chuck E. Cheese.
A Tallahassee Police Department officer said in the affidavit that Mr. Jones “gazed at me with wide eyes and squared shoulders in a tensed” demeanor when police arrived at the restaurant. After the officer went back out to confer with other officers, Mr. Jones put on the costume. The suspect was then arrested.
“It is unfortunate that the person who is subject of this investigation and who we had probable cause on happened to be in a suit and in costume,” Tallahassee police spokeswoman Alicia Hill told the Tallahassee Democrat.
Children and families were present in the restaurant at the time of the arrest.
