Two Daytona Beach police officers escorting Mr. and Mrs. Claus to a tree lighting ceremony broke up a major theft ring in the parking lot Saturday night, the Police Department said.

>> Read more trending news

Officers Joe Evans and Courtney Wooleyhan were returning to duty, after escorting Santa and Mrs. Claus to the Tanger Outlets tree lighting, when they saw two men stealing a tire from a vehicle in the parking lot.

The officers detained the men as well as two women who accompanied them.

Inside the suspects’ car, the officers found stolen merchandise from Old Navy, H&M, Express, Polo, Rue 21 and Under Armour.

Police identified the suspects as Johnarian Young, 19; Shaijuan Christie, 25; and Debbie Champagnie, 47, and an unidentified 16-year-old.

The stolen merchandise and tire were returned to their rightful owners, police said.

About the Author

Featured

Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez