Parents and children at a Florida Chuck E. Cheese were left stunned when the beloved mascot was arrested in front of a packed restaurant.
Man wearing Chuck E. Cheese suit arrested
Police bodycam video captured the dramatic moment that unfolded inside the Tallahassee family hotspot.
Footage released by the Tallahassee Police Department from the July 23 incident shows officers walking into the busy arcade and pizza restaurant.
As they entered, one officer can be heard telling a colleague, “We’re gonna detain the mouse.”
The video shows children playing games as officers approach a costumed employee dressed as Chuck E. Cheese.
“Chuck E.’s a little bit busy, ma’am,” one officer tells a woman before confronting the mascot.
Moments later, the officer orders, “Chuck E., come with me. Chuck E! Chuck E! Stop resisting! You’re being detained, stop resisting! Let it go! Do not cause a scene here, sir.”
The once-cheerful mascot was then handcuffed in front of the shocked crowd and escorted out of the restaurant.
Parents were visibly upset as kids looked on, confused and frightened by the sight of their beloved character taken away by police.
As officers led the costumed suspect out, one angry woman confronted them.
“I would like y’all to walk him out the door instead of traumatizing all these children seeing someone like Chuck E. Cheese get arrested,” she shouted.
She then asked officers, “Would y’all put Mickey Mouse in handcuffs?”
According to department spokesperson Alicia Hill, the plan was to escort the suspect outside and then place him in cuffs.
However, she explained that the man resisted when officers approached, forcing them to restrain him inside.
Hill called it “unfortunate” that the individual happened to be wearing the mascot suit at the time.
In the bodycam clip, one officer notes, “The parents were not happy with us detaining Chuck E. Cheese.” Another officer responds bluntly, “Too bad.”
Chuck E. Cheese mascot spent someone else’s cheddar
After the mascot’s headpiece was removed, officers tried to search the suspect, though the bulky costume made it hard to determine whether he had any weapons hidden beneath the outfit.
“I’m working, you know, I’m just doing my job,” the man protested. “What the f**k is this about?”
Police later identified the suspect as 41-year-old Jermel Jones. Investigators said Jones had allegedly been using a stolen debit card belonging to a woman who reported it missing after visiting the same Chuck E. Cheese weeks earlier for her child’s birthday party.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the card was used without permission at multiple businesses, including a grocery store, a smoke shop, and a Whataburger fast-food restaurant.
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During the arrest, officers said they found the stolen debit card in Jones’ pocket. He denied using it and claimed he had done nothing wrong.
The affidavit also revealed that Jones was carrying a small amount of marijuana, which he told officers he planned to use legally once his medical marijuana license was approved.
Jones was ultimately charged with credit card theft, fraudulent use of personal identification information, and fraudulent use of a credit card totaling more than $100.
He was released the following day after posting a $1,000 bond. Chuck E. Cheese officials confirmed that “appropriate action” had been taken against the employee.
Dark Knight saves the day on dark night
In another bizarre case across the state, a man in Cape Coral became an unlikely hero after foiling a burglary while still wearing his Batman pajamas.
Police said Kyle Myvett rushed outside after spotting a man breaking into his vehicle on his home security cameras around 2 a.m. last Wednesday.
Myvett said he was sleeping when his wife saw an alert on the phone and woke him up.
The intruder, identified as 20-year-old Justin Schimpl, had allegedly broken into both Myvett’s truck and a neighbor’s vehicle, stealing sunglasses, cash, gift cards, and other valuables.
That’s when Myvett “grabbed a hold of their shirt and their right wrist, and I said, ‘Listen, don’t try to get away.’ ”
Myvett’s quick reaction allowed police to track down and arrest Schimpl, who now faces multiple charges including burglary, petit theft, and burglary of an occupied dwelling.
Schimpl’s bond was set at $40,000, and police noted he was already well-known to law enforcement for a string of prior offenses ranging from drug possession and theft to grand theft of a firearm.
Authorities praised Myvett for his swift actions, saying his decision to confront the suspect helped put “another burglary suspect behind bars.”
