'Hannah Montana' star Mitchel Musso denies potato chips theft: 'It's all a big misunderstanding!'


Mitchel Musso has denied drunkenly stealing a bag of crisps.
The 32-year-old actor was taken into custody by police in Rockwell – a suburb of Dallas, Texas – on Saturday (25.08.23) night after employees at a hotel called them to report claims a drunk Mitchel failed to pay for a packet of potato chips that he opened and started eating and then became belligerent with staff when they asked him to hand over cash.
But, just days after the news broke, Mitchel has insisted that the whole incident was a "big misunderstanding."
He told People: "There was no theft, and I was not intoxicated. It's just been unfortunate, but it's a big misunderstanding!"
The former Disney Channel star – who is best known for playing Oliver Oken on the hit sitcom 'Hannah Montana' alongside Miley Cyrusin the late 2000s – went on to allege that an "erratic" hotel employee had an issue with his clothing and threatened to call the police if he did not leave immediately.
He said: "This disgruntled employee, whose behavior was erratic, ripped the bag of potato chips out of my hand and started yelling at me about my attire. He said, 'Get out or I'm going to call the police.' Ultimately, I said, 'Sure. Call the cops.' You know, I grew up here. You know this is my hometown, right?"
According to the Dallas Morning News, Rockwell police said hotel staff ordered the actor to pay for the crisps, but he allegedly became "verbally abusive and walked off".
Officers are said to have found Musso outside the hotel and determined he was under the influence. They are also said to have found several outstanding traffic warrants. He was arrested and taken into custody where he spent a night in the Rockwall County Detention Center.
The website reports he was charged with public intoxication, theft under $100, expired registration, failure to display a driver's licence and violating a promise to appear notice.