By Joshua Phillips
Northeast News
December 20, 2013

This year, the Kansas City Police Department is helping Santa Claus gather names for his naughty list.

KCPD launched its website http://santasnaughtylistkc.com this week, which displays the names of shoplifters, a mugshot for some and why they were arrested. The website will be online until Jan. 15.

“It’s supposed to be about giving, not taking during the holiday season,” said KCPD Capt. Tye Grant. “Our main purpose to this is to raise awareness of property crimes around the holiday season. We put it online this week after weeks of developing it (because) we had to get it set up the right way.”

This website blog shows shoplifters who have been arrested and charged with shoplifting $25 or more from retailers in the Kansas City area. Some shoplifters, such as Chris Degenhardt, 18, is charged with stealing a $35 Gator Grip tool and a $50 lithium battery from the Wal-Mart on North Church Road.

However, others try for bigger rewards, such as William Chatman, who is charged with stealing $3,350 worth of merchandise from three stores during an eight-day period, according to Santa’s Naughty List KC website. At the Wal-Mart on 40 Highway, Chatman stole two home theater systems, 50-inch and 32-inch televisions and $300 worth of golf balls. Then, he hit the Wal-Mart on North Boardwalk where he stole another home theater system, a 39-inch television, a DVD and crab meat. Chatman was then charged with stealing a four-gallon air compressor and a 500-watt and 2,200-watt generator at the Midtown Home Depot.

Other thefts, such as the case of Rickey N. Coleman, 53, were done in peculiar manners. Coleman is charged with stealing a $498 55-inch flat-screen Sanyo television from the Wal-Mart on 40 Highway; he allegedly placed the television in the store’s electric scooter and tried to drive out of the store with the television.

Another case involves Michael Fagan and Jonathan Erwood who stole five bottles of perfume worth $123 from Victoria’s Secret in Zona Rosa.

Grant said these alleged shoplifters are caught because of camera surveillance, loss prevention of the stores and police who monitor such cases. He also said those who commit these thefts could spend up to a year in jail for certain city ordinance violations.

Other than having this website to raise awareness about shoplifting, Grant said KCPD officers attend community meetings to discuss the crimes in that area and to raise that community’s awareness about those crimes such as shoplifting. Unfortunately for some shoplifters, not only do they have to serve time in jail this holiday season, they also are on Santa’s naughty list.