Anthony Yates
Authorities arrested a man in a Chuck E. Cheese mascot costume during a kids’ birthday party earlier this year. The Tallahassee Police Department has released new bodycam footage of the unusual arrest.
Videos by Rare
What happened: Per a previous report by Minq, the incident occurred on July 23 at around 6:30 PM at the Chuck E. Cheese on the 2800 block of Sharer Road, Tallahassee. Officers arrived at the restaurant over a credit card theft investigation and discovered their suspect was wearing the Chuck E. Cheese outfit.
- A woman claimed her credit card was stolen and reportedly met officers outside the restaurant. Her credit card statement detailed purchases she didn’t make, and she ultimately traced the activity back to the restaurant.
- Per the Tallahassee Democrat, officers intended to make the arrest outside the building as they believed their suspect, 41-year-old Jermell Jarreau Jones, was manning the door. However, employees confirmed he was dressed as the mouse himself at a party inside the restaurant.
Bodycam Footage Reveals How Police Officers Handled The Unusual Arrest
News outlet WCNC shared footage of the arrest on YouTube
Come with me, Chucky: Perhaps in an effort to keep up appearances for an ongoing party, the officer wearing the bodycam approaches the mouse and says, “Come with me, Chucky.” He tells a bystander, “Chucky is a little bit busy, ma’am.”
- Officers order the suspect to stop resisting, explaining that they are detaining him. They quickly pull his hands behind his back and cuff him. One bystander says something to the officer, but the recording is unclear. He replies, “It’s not my call, ma’am.” The officer’s escort Jones out of the building as one kid appears to shout, “Aww, Chuck E.”
- The officer with the bodycam later asked Jones, “Have you been using anyone else’s credit card anywhere?” He replied, “No, sir. Only card I use is my own Cash App. That’s it.”
The outlet explains that Jones denied using any stolen cards, but authorities reportedly found the victim’s card in his back pocket. Per CBS News, police charged the suspect with three felonies:
- Credit card theft.
- Criminal use of personal identification information.
- Fraudulent use of a credit card more than twice or for purchases exceeding $100.
Per the Tallahassee Democrat, authorities released Jones on bond the following day.
