(NewsNation) — Police have released video of a Chuck E. Cheese employee being arrested outside of one of the company’s Florida locations while in full costume.
Tallahassee police say the employee, Jermell Jarreau Jones, 41, was arrested after being identified as a suspect in a credit card theft investigation. Officers found Jones inside the restaurant after another employee told them he was the one in the costume.
Bodycam footage of the July 23 arrest was recently released by the Tallahassee police.
News of the arrest, first reported by the Tallahassee Democrat, went viral on social media after photos and videos taken by witnesses ended up online. Police later confirmed to the Democrat that Jones had been arrested on three felonies.
Police were originally tipped off to the case after a woman reported the theft of her debit card to authorities, saying she started noticing more than $100 in charges from places she had never shopped. She told police she last used the card at the Tallahassee Chuck E. Cheese on June 28 during her child’s birthday party and was able to trace the purchases back to an employee.
A spokesperson for the police department said officers had the intention of handcuffing Jones outside of the restaurant, but he resisted arrest, leading officers to cuff him inside the venue.
Police said Jones faces three felony charges, including credit card theft, criminal use of personal identification information and fraudulent use of a credit card more than twice or for purchases exceeding $100.
