In what felt more like a movie scene than a weekend birthday party, kids and parents at a Tallahassee Chuck E. Cheese were stunned as police entered the venue and placed the iconic mascot—yes, Chuck E. Cheese himself—in handcuffs.
The arrest happened on July 23 just after 6:30 p.m., while families were dining, playing games, and snapping photos with the giant gray mouse. What they didn’t know was that the man inside the costume, 41-year-old Jermel Jones, was the target of an active investigation for alleged credit card theft.
According to bodycam footage released by the Tallahassee Police Department, officers walked into the family entertainment center and immediately made their way toward the mascot. “Chuck E.’s a little bit busy, ma’am,” one officer said to a mother who had been waiting to get a picture taken with her kids. Another officer called out, “Chuck E.! Stop resisting! You’re being detained!”
The surreal moment played out in front of wide-eyed children, many of whom didn’t understand why their pizza party included a live police takedown.
What those families didn’t realize was that this bizarre arrest was the culmination of an investigation that had begun weeks earlier, when a woman contacted police claiming her debit card had been stolen during her child’s birthday party at the same Chuck E. Cheese location on June 28.
She later noticed fraudulent charges on her account and provided authorities with store footage of her card being used at a different location—somewhere she hadn’t shopped.
According to the police report, the victim recognized the man in the surveillance footage as an employee of Chuck E. Cheese. The employee was later identified as Jones, who was still working at the venue nearly a month later, in full costume as he greeted children.
After being placed under arrest, Jones initially denied any involvement. But when officers searched him, they reportedly found the woman’s debit card in his left front pocket. Jones told police he had found the card on the day of his arrest and hadn’t used it. He also admitted to being in possession of a small amount of marijuana, adding that he was “on the way” to obtaining a medical marijuana license.
Chuck E. Cheese’s corporate office has not responded to inquiries about the arrest or confirmed whether Jones is still employed. Meanwhile, the internet has already begun reacting to the incident with disbelief and memes—turning one of childhood’s most iconic characters into the star of a very adult headline.
No word yet on whether Chuck E. himself will issue a statement. But one thing is certain: for the families inside that Tallahassee location, this was a birthday party they won’t forget.
Source: Fox News