"Just a couple more weeks and the battery will die..." he thought.
Technically true, but the thing would've stayed locked.
And even then, he'd still be having a warrant on his head.
I guess he couldn't bear staying hidden in his studio alone with the very distracting teasing of his cage, but it's hard to not be noticed when you walk around with a sticky wet spot growing on your swimming trunks. Even at the beach.
Now he's about to get a free ride to his new home for the foreseeable future, and a very long lesson on why you shouldn't temper with state property.