Daytona Beach officers bust thieves while escorting Santa

The Daytona Beach Police Department is congratulating two officers on a job well done.

Investigators say two officers, Joe Evans and Courtney Wooleyhan, arrested four people at the Tanger Outlets on Saturday.

“We were flagged down that somebody might have been taking a tire off of a vehicle," Officer Wooleyhan said. "We went over there and he sure was taking a tire off of it, and went to put it in the trunk of another vehicle.”

The officers were escorting Santa and Mrs. Claus for a tree-lighting ceremony when they got the call that the suspects stole a tire off of someone's car, along with stolen merchandise from six outlet stores.

Officer Evans said he couldn't help but get into the holiday spirit with Santa and Mrs. Claus being there.

“Santa was there," he said. "I took advantage of that. I had to sit on his lap, and the parents and children obviously loved that.”