Deary said the man was caught on CCTV cameras placing the sunglasses into the pocket of his bright Santa costume. He took the sunglasses from an exhibition table in a corridor of the mall, said Deary.
A video is doing the rounds on social media.
In the clip a suspect is seen in handcuffs being led away by two mall security guards in front of stunned Sunday afternoon shoppers.
Shocked customers at the mall, some filming the incident with their cellphones, can be heard asking: “What did Santa do?” and “What did he steal?”
Sibongile Mazamisa, supervisor for the mall security services provider Lunotho Security, said his team detained the Santa for an hour before he was released.
“We had to release him because the tenant whose sunglasses were stolen did not want to open a case. But the mall manager fired Santa,” Mazamisa said.
The stall manager Margaret Kaman, 22, from Kenya, said the sunglasses were worth R40.
“I did not open a case because I got the sunglasses back and Santa's boss paid me for any damages suffered at the hands of his employee.”
Kamau said she was busy serving a customer when Santa “took advantage”.
“I saw him trying on the sunglasses and putting them down. He then moved to the other side to fit another pair of sunglasses. He may have used the time I bent down looking for change for my customer to steal the sunglasses.”
Santa's boss, Mafa Madini, refused to comment, saying the matter had been handled by Mdantsane City Mall management.
Santa's chair inside the photo booth was empty when the Dispatch visited the mall on Monday morning.
Father Christmas detained ... for taking instead of giving
Image: MICHAEL PINYANA/File
It is no secret that Father Christmas doesn't bring naughty children presents, but what happens when Santa hasn't exactly been an angel himself?
One Santa found out in no uncertain terms, after allegedly stealing a pair of R40 sunglasses at Mdantsane City Mall on Sunday.
The Santa was hired by mall management to spread some Christmas cheer by posing for photos with children, but the shades — a necessity in countering the glare at the North Pole one imagines — appeared to be too tempting to resist.
Mdantsane City Mall shopping centre manager Dean Deary said the man was fired immediately and also received a lifetime ban from the mall.
Police probing case of culpable homicide after baby found dead on on Christmas Day
Deary said the man was caught on CCTV cameras placing the sunglasses into the pocket of his bright Santa costume. He took the sunglasses from an exhibition table in a corridor of the mall, said Deary.
A video is doing the rounds on social media.
In the clip a suspect is seen in handcuffs being led away by two mall security guards in front of stunned Sunday afternoon shoppers.
Shocked customers at the mall, some filming the incident with their cellphones, can be heard asking: “What did Santa do?” and “What did he steal?”
Sibongile Mazamisa, supervisor for the mall security services provider Lunotho Security, said his team detained the Santa for an hour before he was released.
“We had to release him because the tenant whose sunglasses were stolen did not want to open a case. But the mall manager fired Santa,” Mazamisa said.
The stall manager Margaret Kaman, 22, from Kenya, said the sunglasses were worth R40.
“I did not open a case because I got the sunglasses back and Santa's boss paid me for any damages suffered at the hands of his employee.”
Kamau said she was busy serving a customer when Santa “took advantage”.
“I saw him trying on the sunglasses and putting them down. He then moved to the other side to fit another pair of sunglasses. He may have used the time I bent down looking for change for my customer to steal the sunglasses.”
Santa's boss, Mafa Madini, refused to comment, saying the matter had been handled by Mdantsane City Mall management.
Santa's chair inside the photo booth was empty when the Dispatch visited the mall on Monday morning.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos