TOLEDO, OH — A 29-year-old man was arrested Thursday after allegedly robbing a check-cashing business while wearing a full-body mascot costume of a cartoon mouse, a disguise that backfired immediately when investigators traced the extremely specific, non-Chuck-E-Cheese, slightly-legally-distinct costume back to the single party rental company in the county that owned it.

Desmond Tyree Falk allegedly entered Quick Cash on Monroe Street at approximately 1 p.m. in a seven-foot mouse costume — described in the police report as “a brown mouse in a purple vest, legally distinct from any trademarked character, but only barely” — and demanded cash from the clerk while gesturing with oversized foam hands. The clerk, unable to take the situation entirely seriously, complied, handing over approximately $600.

The Mouse Always Leaves a Trail

Detectives canvassing the area discovered that exactly one business in Lucas County rented that specific costume: a party supply company called FunZone Rentals. The owner confirmed the costume had been rented that morning under a real name, a real address, and a real, non-refundable $50 deposit paid with a real debit card belonging to Desmond Falk.

“He rented it under his actual name. He put down a deposit. He gave us his phone number in case of damage. There was damage — to his entire future. We just called the number on the rental form. He answered. He was still wearing the head.” — Det. Marcus Webb, Toledo PD

Falk was arrested at his apartment, where officers reported he was still partially in costume, having removed only the gloves. He was booked into the Lucas County Jail on charges of armed robbery and theft. His JailReport.lol mugshot — taken without the mascot head — has been filed in the Mugshot Hall of Fame. FunZone Rentals has kept the deposit. Bond was set at $18,000.