Santa wasn’t playing around in one California town after a couple of thieves wiped out thousands of dollars in Christmas trees and wreaths. He wasted no time tracking down the Grinchy bandits and adding them to his naughty list, among a few other things.
California always finds new ways to surprise the rest of the country, especially when the holiday season rolls around. So when an oddly festive police announcement started making the rounds online, people immediately knew something unusual was going on. It wasn’t just the arrests, or even the crime itself. It was the way the news was delivered. Let’s just say it involved more red velvet than anyone expected from law enforcement.
AmCanPD/Instagram
The situation stemmed from a theft at a Safeway store in Santa Fe, where more than $2,000 worth of Christmas trees and wreaths vanished near the end of November. Officers in Napa County didn’t wait long to launch an investigation, and before the holiday rush got too intense, they had tracked down their suspects.
The two people taken into custody were identified as Kayla Daniels, 29, and Joshua Gonzales, 39, both from Vallejo. Officers served a search and arrest warrant at their home one Thursday afternoon, ending the mystery and recovering everything that had gone missing.
During the search, officers located every stolen tree and wreath. Since the items were returned to the Safeway store quickly, families looking for holiday decorations still had the chance to pick them up as planned. Napa County officials later emphasized that taking thousands of dollars in goods is no lighthearted crime, which is why both Daniels and Gonzales now face charges of Grand Theft and Conspiracy to Commit a Crime.
Police Announcements Go Full Holiday Mode
Of course, the internet rarely cares about legal specifics when there’s something far more entertaining to latch onto. In this case, the reveal video. The police department posted its announcement on Instagram, starring one officer dressed head-to-toe as Santa Claus. Complete with a holstered weapon and theatrical stance. With a certain classic holiday villain’s theme song playing in the background, the video instantly caught attention and racked up views.
“Santa’s ALWAYS watching!!!” one comment reads.
“Thank you, Santa and your elves!!!” another adds.
The Santa-clad officer reenacted the arrest in the most comically dramatic way possible, leaning hard into the seasonal spirit. If the goal was to make a point and make people laugh, mission accomplished. So far this holiday season, people everywhere have seen their share of crimes and bizarre mishaps.
But this one delivered a fairly simple message. Stealing Christmas isn’t a clever plan, and the police will happily make an example out of you. Sometimes, while wearing a fake beard. The department managed to recover all the stolen items, arrest the suspects, and drop a viral clip into the mix. Proving to all that justice can be both effective and unintentionally festive.
In the end, Napa County officers closed the case. They restored every last wreath and tree, and gave the internet a Santa-themed police performance no one asked for. But everyone appreciated. If there’s any moral to take away, it’s that holiday crime still lands you in jail. And occasionally leaves you upstaged by a law-enforcing Santa Claus.
Emma Taylor 
Sabrina Russell 
Dylan Cook 
