A 25-year-old man is facing a burglary charge after allegedly climbing through the drive-through window of a St. Petersburg Popeyes in the middle of the night and filming himself inside. Matthew Kenneth Klassen was arrested by St. Petersburg police, who say the restaurant's own surveillance cameras caught the whole thing. The after-hours visit apparently did not end with fried chicken.
According to WFLA, the restaurant sits at 600 34th Street North in Pinellas County. Police say surveillance video recorded the incident at 2:53 a.m. and captured Klassen entering through a drive-through window and later leaving through that same window.
Playing Cashier With No Customers
The footage, officers confirmed, showed Klassen standing inside the restaurant facing the drive-through window. He appeared to be pretending to take orders and typing at the order station, as if he were working the overnight shift.
The same report notes that police say Klassen admitted to officers that he entered the Popeyes through the window. He also said he filmed a video of himself inside, and police say he took a water bottle from a refrigerator. Klassen then offered to show the video to officers.
What Klassen Is Charged With
The St. Petersburg Police Department charged Klassen with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure, the report says. Under the 2026 Florida Statutes, burglary means entering a dwelling, structure or conveyance with the intent to commit an offense, with exceptions such as premises open to the public or entry by license or invitation.
That same statute classifies an unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure, without assault or battery, as a third-degree felony. Details such as bond, an attorney's response and any court dates were not available in the information reviewed.
