A man was arrested near Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday for allegedly breaking into numerous stores and was later found with a pair of hamsters inside his leopard print onesie, according to police.
Columbus Police responded to the Roosters restaurant near Hilliard just after 3 a.m., after receiving an alert from the restaurant’s security system.
The responding officers retraced the suspect’s steps, and, about 10 minutes later, they were led to a pet store, Petland, after finding a dog in the shopping center.
Police body-worn camera footage from inside the store showed several glass windows from dog cages were smashed.
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Matthew Pancake allegedly broke into multiple stores in the Columbus, Ohio, area July 9, 2024. (Franklin County Jail)
The owner of Petland told a local ABC station in Columbus the suspect, believed to be 31-year-old Matthew Pancake, let 15 animals out of their cages before fleeing.
A little later, at about 4 a.m., officers were led to a nearby Famous Footwear shoe store that was also broken into.
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Police arrested a man who allegedly broke into multiple stores, including a pet store, and was later found to have a pair of hamsters in his pants. (Columbus Police)
Pancake allegedly stole a pair of boots from the store, leaving a mess of knocked down boxes before leaving the retailer.
In a 911 call obtained by the station, a caller told the operator she was looking at the guy who allegedly broke into Petland as he slept on a bench while wearing leopard print clothing.
Video shows officers responding and yanking Pancake off the bench, telling him he was under arrest.
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Columbus Police arrested an Ohio man who allegedly broke into multiple stores, including a pet store, and was later found to have multiple hamsters in his pants. (Columbus Police)
As the officers searched Pancake, they found shards of glass in his pants and a dog collar on him.
The officers also found hamsters in his pants, with one police official saying, “Yeah, definitely animal abuse.”
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Another officer even asked Pancake, for his safety, if he had any animals inside of him. No response was provided in the video.
Pancake was taken to the Franklin County jail and booked on charges of breaking and entering and vandalism. He is expected back in court July 19.
