Chuck E. Cheese employee in mouse costume arrested by TPD for credit card fraud

Social media is abuzz as locals share photos and video of renowned mouse, Chuck E. Cheese, being arrested by Tallahassee Police Department officers and being taken out of the restaurant as kids and families look on.

While some questioned why police couldn't wait till the man was out of his costume, another photo later shows the arrested man unmasked with the Chuck E. Cheese mascot head on top of the squad car.

TPD confirmed the legitimacy of the photos and said that TPD arrested Jermell Jones on three felonies.

Police spokesperson Alicia Hill said police were called to the parking lot of the Chuck E. Cheese July 3 after a caller reported a stolen credit card. The victim met officers outside and said that they had a party at the pizza joint in June. Afterward she noticed about $100 of fraudulent charges on her card from places she didn’t shop at or hadn’t been to.

She was able to trace the activity to an employee at the restaurant at 2810 Sharer Road. Police initially identified the suspect as an employee who was checking stamps at the front door. But when they returned to make an arrest, they were advised by another employee that the suspect was now dressed as Chuck E. Cheese.

“They walked over with the intention of just walking outside to put handcuffs on him outside of public view,” Hill told the Democrat.

According to police reports, one officer while grabbing the employee even referred to him as the character himself, "Chuck E, come with me, Chuck E."

“But when they approached him, he immediately tenses up and resists, and so at this point they make the decision to put him in handcuffs, keeping in mind the safety of not only the customers, but the suspect, as well as the officers themselves," Hill continued.

She said TPD doesn’t have a specific policy on when arrests are appropriate in public, and the agency relies on “officer discretion” based on the safety of others and ensuring a suspect can’t destroy evidence.

“It is unfortunate that the person who is subject of this investigation and who we had probable cause on happened to be in a suit and in costume,” she said, adding that officers found the stolen credit card in his possession.

Reached at the restaurant, an employee said he couldn't comment on the case.

"It's unfortunate that it happened here," he said, emphasizing the arrest didn't have anything to do with the company.

A member of the Chuck E. Cheese parent company, CEC Entertainment, responded to an email from the Tallahassee Democrat asking for comment.

"We are aware of an incident involving a part-time employee arrested at our Tallahassee location on Wednesday, July 23. We have taken the appropriate action concerning the subject employee," The email says.

The employee with CEC Entertainment said that TPD has not reached out to them about the incident.

According to the County Clerk of Courts website, Jones was charged with three felonies – theft of credit card, criminal use of personal identification information and fraudulent use of a credit over two times within six months.

Jones was taken into custody and booked at Leon County Jail but has already been released on bond.

“When you have a victim outside, it doesn’t matter what the dollar amount is,” Hill said. “She was the victim of a fraud.”

▶Were you at the scene of the arrest? Email us at news@tallahassee.com

Editor William Hatfield contributed to this report. Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Chuck E. Cheese employee in mouse costume arrested by TPD for credit card fraud