COLUMBUS, Ohio — A man who was arrested with hamsters in his pants after he allegedly broke into several businesses, including a pet store where animals were set loose, was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury.
Matthew Pancake is now facing three counts of breaking and entering and two counts of theft, according to the indictment filed in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. The 31-year-old man was initially charged with breaking and entering and vandalism.
Officers with the Columbus Division of Police were called to a Roosters near Hilliard around 3 a.m. on July 9 after being notified of a burglary alarm going off.
Officers discovered that the restaurant was broken into. Detectives obtained video evidence showing a man with long hair wearing leopard-print pajamas inside the restaurant.
About 100 yards away, officers found that the Petland store was also broken into, and several animals were seen running around in the parking lot.
While searching the area, officers discovered the Famous Footwear store on Hilliard Rome Road was broken into.
Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert said Pancake was found sleeping on a bench near the Big Lots on Roberts Road at 4:47 a.m.
In body-camera footage, officers are seen grabbing Pancake off the bench, putting him on the ground and searching him. During the search, they found four hamsters and bedding in his leopard-printed pajamas.
He was arrested and taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries.
Police recovered two dogs, multiple birds, a hamster and at least two bunnies that were set loose. There were a couple of bunnies, birds and ferrets still missing as of last week.