The 73-year-old, known locally as “Santa Bob,” says a thief took more than $1,500 but not his resolve to keep visiting families.
HOUSTON, TX — A Houston businessman who volunteers as Santa Claus said he was attacked and robbed last week as he finished work at his small machine shop in north Houston. The man, 73-year-old Bob Beaudreault, told local reporters the assailant rushed him inside the business, injured his shoulder and back, and fled with cash before Christmas events he had scheduled around the city.
Beaudreault is widely known as “Santa Bob,” a volunteer who has appeared at community gatherings for more than two decades. The report of his robbery comes during a busy stretch of holiday events across Houston and prompted an outpouring of support from residents who recognized him from seasonal appearances. While the incident remains under review and some details are still being pieced together, Beaudreault said he has added security measures at his shop and intends to notify police formally if he has not already done so. The immediate question for many who have booked him was whether Santa would still show up; Beaudreault said he will.
Beaudreault said the confrontation happened as he was closing up and placing an envelope of money into a shop safe. “I walked over to the safe, put the envelope inside, and just as I closed the door, he came in and tackled me,” he said. He described the thief as moving quickly, grabbing the cash and bolting from the area before he could see where the person went. The attacker got away with more than $1,500, according to Beaudreault. He said he was shaken but able to get back on his feet. In the days that followed, he kept previously scheduled appearances, including reading “The Nightmare Before Christmas” at a community gathering. “He robbed Santa Claus,” Beaudreault said, adding that the injuries would not stop him from finishing the season.
Beaudreault has long split his time between running the machine shop and volunteering in a red suit across greater Houston, from neighborhood events to holiday photo lines. He said he has performed as Santa for more than 20 years and considers the work part of how he gives back to the city. “I feel good making other people feel good,” he said. After the robbery, he told a television crew that the most painful part wasn’t the money. “It’s not the wallet, it’s this,” he said, tapping his chest. He also addressed the robber directly on camera, saying, “Turn it around and make good with your life.” The shop has since added additional security steps, he said, to limit access when employees are closing and to reduce the amount of cash kept on hand.
The incident occurred “last week,” days before Christmas, while Beaudreault was leaving what he called his side job at the shop. He said the attacker surprised him from behind near the safe inside the building and forced him down, leaving him with soreness in his shoulder and back. No weapon was mentioned in Beaudreault’s account, and no arrests were immediately reported. It was not clear whether surveillance video captured the suspect entering or leaving the business. A grassroots fundraiser began circulating among supporters as word of the attack spread, with neighbors citing Beaudreault’s years of appearances at schools, churches and community centers. The amount raised and the sponsoring organizers were not immediately available late Thursday.
As is typical in robbery cases, investigators would examine the timing of the closing routine, any nearby cameras, and whether the attacker had prior knowledge of cash being stored at the shop. Beaudreault said he plans to provide a formal statement and documentation of his losses. If a police report is filed, the case would advance to detectives, who could seek search warrants for phone records or video and may ask area businesses for footage spanning the hour of the assault. In Houston, robbery complaints generally proceed to the county district attorney if detectives identify a suspect and assemble probable cause; charging decisions can follow within days when suspects are in custody, but cases without an arrest often take longer.
Houston residents familiar with Beaudreault’s Santa appearances reacted with frustration and sympathy. Several people who recognized him from past holiday events left supportive messages on local news pages, calling him a fixture of neighborhood celebrations. Beaudreault, who is 73, said the community response has helped him keep working through the bruises and finish the season. “That’s what I do,” he said of showing up in the suit. Neighbors also said they hoped any video from the area would help identify the suspect. Others pointed out that Beaudreault’s Santa visits typically continue right up to Christmas Eve, with photo stops and story times that draw families who have seen him for years.
As of Thursday evening, Beaudreault said he was resting between scheduled appearances while he monitored his injuries and coordinated with supporters. He expected to keep at least some bookings and discuss further safety steps with colleagues at the shop. Any law enforcement update could come once a formal report is filed and reviewed. For now, the case remains open-ended: a beloved neighborhood Santa says he was robbed of more than $1,500 but not the holiday season itself. A next update is expected as investigators determine whether surveillance footage or witness tips can move the case forward in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated December 18, 2025.