"Santa's Helpers" Arrest 4 In Tanger Outlets Theft Ring

Daytona Beach, FL - The Daytona Beach Police Department says a pair of their officers stopped a "major theft ring" moments after helping Santa Claus and his wife get to a local mall for a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. Four people - including a 16-year-old - are facing a slew of charges following the Saturday night (November 17th) incident at Tanger Outlets in Daytona Beach. Three of them are identified as 47-year-old Debbie Champagnie of Orlando, 25-year-old Shaijuan Christie of Orlando and 19-year-old Johnarian Young of Sanford. WNDB is not naming the teenager due to the suspect being underage. DBPD spokesperson Lyda Longa says Officers Joe Evans (left of Santa) and Courtney Wooleyhan (right of Mrs. Claus) were leaving the mall when they spotted two men taking a tire from a vehicle.

@DBCops1 Joe Evans and Courtney Wooleyhan helped spread holiday cheer Saturday at Tanger Outlets. Moments later, the officers busted four thieves removing a tire from a shopper's car. The thieves also had stolen property from six outlet stores in their auto! pic.twitter.com/kApdaORnNO

— Daytona Beach Police (@DBCops1) November 18, 2018

"The officers detained the men and two females who accompanied them," Longa added. "Inside the suspects’ vehicle, the officers discovered stolen merchandise from six stores." It's not clear at this point exactly what that merchandise was or its value, but Longa says the stores which had their merchandise taken were Express, H&M, Old Navy, Polo, Rue 21 and Under Armour. "Two of the suspects also were on felony probation and one of them was wanted on a warrant," Longa stated. "The property taken from all of the businesses was recovered and returned, as was the pilfered tire." Champagnie has since bonded out of Volusia County Jail on five total charges, including petit theft, grand theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Young - the man who was wanted on a felony attempted grand theft warrant - remains at VCJ without bond on that as well as three counts of petit theft, one of grand theft and for giving law enforcement a false name. Christie - the other suspect on probation for fleeing & eluding and delinquent possession of a firearm/ammunition - is also held without bond on VCJ on that and for nine other charges, including three counts of petit theft, two counts of giving a false name causing adverse effect, grand theft, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, cannabis possession under 20 grams and resisting an officer.

Debbie Champagnie

Shaijuan Christie

Johnarian Young