'Santa Claus' flees Stuart police after alleged robbery near downtown

Will Greenlee | Treasure Coast Newspapers

STUART — This “Santa Claus” may get coal in his stocking this year after accusations of being naughty and not nice.

Sean Francis Budge, 24, was arrested late Monday after witnesses told Stuart police he wore a Santa Claus hat after robbing a woman of her glasses and speeding away on a motorcycle, according to affidavits released Tuesday.

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The case began about 11:17 p.m. Monday when an officer went to The Crafted Keg in the 500 block of South Colorado Avenue near downtown Stuart.

A woman there said a man identified as Budge took her prescription glasses off her head and left on his motorcycle. The woman and two others reported Budge left while sporting a Santa Claus hat.

Meanwhile, an officer reported spotting a motorcycle traveling about 70 mph on U.S. 1 south near the Treasure Coast Square mall.

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The officer tried to stop the motorcycle, but the driver didn’t pull over. The officer reported the motorcycle rider wore a jacket and a Santa hat, and reached 80 mph on the Roosevelt Bridge.

The motorcycle eventually made its way back to The Crafted Keg, stopping in the median in front of the establishment.

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Budge, of the 4400 block of Southwest Idlewild Street in Port St. Lucie, was arrested on charges of robbery by sudden snatching, fleeing and eluding, reckless driving and resisting without violence.