Tallahassee police released bodycam footage showing a man in a Chuck E. Cheese costume being arrested mid-shift on credit card fraud charges.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Newly released police body camera footage captures the surreal moment officers arrested a man wearing a full Chuck E. Cheese mascot costume — complete with oversized gloves and red cartoon shoes — inside a busy Florida restaurant.
The video, recorded July 23 and released by the Tallahassee Police Department, shows officers walking up to the mascot as he posed for photos with customers. Children can be heard in the background as police confront the costumed suspect, later identified as 41-year-old Jermel Jones, and place him in handcuffs.
“Don’t resist,” an officer says. “Let your hands go.”
The footage shows police removing the character’s giant mouse head and setting it on top of a patrol car before leading Jones away. He was still wearing the Chuck E. gloves when he was cuffed.
Police say Jones, an employee at the Sharer Road Chuck E. Cheese location, was wanted on multiple felony charges, including credit card theft and fraudulent use of personal identification. Investigators say a customer traced unauthorized charges to Jones after attending a birthday party in June and provided video evidence and receipts to police.
Officers recovered the stolen card and a matching receipt from Jones’ pocket during the arrest.
The viral video sparked questions online, with some users criticizing the optics of the arrest happening in front of children. Others noted the arrest was handled professionally, despite the unusual visual of an iconic children’s character being led away in handcuffs.
The arrest and charges stem from an affidavit filed by the Tallahassee Police Department. Jones remains in custody and is facing prosecution.
