Social media erupted with photos and videos of Tallahassee Police Department officers arresting Jermell Jones, dressed as Chuck E. Cheese, at the restaurant while children and families watched. Some questioned why police didn’t wait until Jones was out of costume, but a later photo showed him unmasked, with the mascot head on the squad car.
TPD confirmed the arrest, charging Jones with three felonies.
Spokesperson Alicia Hill said police responded to a stolen credit card report on July 3 in the Chuck E. Cheese parking lot. The victim, who hosted a party at the restaurant in June, reported $100 in fraudulent charges from unfamiliar locations.
She traced the activity to an employee at the Sharer Road location. Initially identified as the employee checking stamps at the door, Jones was later found in the Chuck E. Cheese costume when police returned to arrest him, according to the Palm Beach Post.