Ex-employee breaks into Little Caesars restaurant in US – so he can make and sell pizzas

In a bold reimagining of the concept of “overtime”, a North Carolina man is accused of breaking into a Little Caesars restaurant after hours and running his own unauthorised pizza shift.

Jonathon Hackett, 41, is facing a series of felony charges after police say he broke into the restaurant after closing time and began making and selling pizzas on his own.

He allegedly entered the Kinston-area shop late on Feb 1 while it was closed and kept the proceeds from the pizzas he sold, according to a statement from the Kinston Police Department.

Hackett is a former employee of the restaurant, local news outlets reported.

Police said the episode might have gone unnoticed if not for a second attempt. During that incident, officers said, employees were inside the store when Hackett tried to enter again.

“Employees attempted to prevent Hackett from entering, which resulted in a physical altercation,” the department said in a statement. Hackett was reportedly injured in the fight and received medical treatment.

He now faces charges, including felony breaking and entering, felony obtaining property by false pretences, felony larceny after breaking and entering, misdemeanour breaking and entering and violating a city curfew.

The curfew had been put in place ahead of a major snowstorm that affected the area, running from Jan 31 through Feb 2.

The authorities did not say how many pizzas Hackett allegedly made or how much money he earned.

Hackett was booked into the Lenoir County Jail. Details about his bail or next court date were not immediately available.

The case, unusual in its specifics, is nevertheless being treated as a straightforward instance of unlawful entry and theft, police said – even if it unfolded in a setting more commonly associated with late-night cravings than criminal charges.