A man was arrested near Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday after he allegedly burglarized multiple stores and later found a pair of hamsters inside a leopard print onesie, police said.
Columbus police responded to Roosters Restaurant near Hilliard just after 3 a.m. after receiving an alert from the restaurant’s security system.
Officers who responded retraced the suspect’s steps and about 10 minutes later found the dog at a shopping center, where it was led to the Petland pet shop.
Police body camera footage from inside the store showed several glass windows of dog cages broken.
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Matthew Pancake is accused of burglarizing multiple businesses in the Columbus, Ohio area on July 9, 2024. (Franklin County Jail)
Petland owners told local Columbus station ABC News that the suspect, believed to be 31-year-old Matthew Pancake, let 15 animals out of their cages before running away.
A short time later, around 4 a.m., officers were directed to a nearby Famous Footwear shoe store, which also was broken into.
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Police have arrested a man after he allegedly broke into multiple businesses, including a pet shop, and later hid two hamsters in his trousers. (Columbus Police Department)
Pancake allegedly stole a pair of boots from the store and left behind a pile of overturned boxes.
In a 911 call obtained by the sheriff’s office, the caller told an operator they saw a man who had allegedly entered Petland wearing a leopard print outfit and sleeping on a bench.
The video shows officers arriving, pulling Pancake off the bench and telling him they were under arrest.
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Columbus police have arrested an Ohio man after he allegedly broke into multiple businesses, including a pet store, and later hid multiple hamsters in his pants. (Columbus Police Department)
When officers searched Pancake, they found broken glass in his pants, as well as a dog collar.
Officers also found a hamster in the man’s trousers, with one officer saying: “This is definitely animal cruelty.”
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Another officer, concerned for Pancake’s safety, asked him if he had any animals inside him, but no response is heard in the video.
Pancake was taken to the Franklin County Jail where he was arrested on charges of trespass and criminal damage to property and is scheduled to appear again in court on July 19.
