Onesie-wearing man named ‘Mr. Pancake’ caught hiding stolen hamsters in pants, police say
WHLA-TV8 | July 12, 2024 | Adam Conn, Nathaniel Rodriguez
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Police arrested a man who they said allegedly broke into several businesses in the far west side of Columbus, Ohio — including a pet store where multiple animals were set loose early Tuesday morning.
According to Columbus police, officers arrived at the Petland store in Hilliard Station at 3:45 a.m. and found an open door. Many animals were roaming free, including birds, dogs, rabbits, gerbils and ferrets.
Officers at the scene were able to recover most of the animals save for a few gerbils, ferrets and rabbits.
Police said they were looking for a homeless man named Matthew Pancake, who also allegedly broke into a Roosters and a Famous Footwear along Hilliard Rome Road.
Body cam video showed the suspect asleep on a bench while wearing a leopard-print onesie.
“Get on your belly, Mr. Pancake!” one officer shouted when they arrested him. “In the name of the law Pancake, get on your belly!”
At the Famous Footwear crime scene, blood was also found on some of the merchandise.
The man was located about an hour later in the parking area of a Big Lots on Roberts Road. Police said several hamsters, initially mistaken for gerbils, were found unharmed inside the man’s pants.
“What the heck?” said one officer as he pulled the hamsters out of Pancake’s pants.
“For your safety, is there a gerbil inside you?” asked another officer.
The man was treated for injuries sustained while breaking into the businesses.
