Shopping Mall Santa Denies Staging Rescue

A shopping mall Santa under investigation by police for allegedly pretending to rescue a woman from robbers portrayed his accusers Saturday as Scrooges.

Dressed in full Santa regalia and flanked by youngsters carrying signs that said “We Believe in Santa Claus,” Daniel Hobbit, 40, said he did not stage the rescue of Gloria Margolis from a man who demanded her car keys in a Granada Hills shopping center Wednesday.

Los Angeles police are investigating the incident as an attempted robbery, but began looking into the possibility that it was staged after receiving anonymous tips that Hobbit and Margolis were acquaintances. There were no witnesses to the incident.

“They’re attacking the very magic and joy of Christmas . . . and we’re trying to preserve it,” said Hobbit, standing before television cameras during a news conference in the shopping center where the incident occurred.

He also attacked The Times, which reported Saturday that police had reservations about his story.

Hobbit and Margolis, who also attended the news conference, said they met several months ago in a Northridge video store where Margolis was shopping and Hobbit was working. In previous interviews, they told The Times conflicting stories about where they had met.

They also said Saturday that they had worked together on three charity events, but had not seen each other for five or six months.

Hobbit said he had no idea who Margolis was when he heard her screaming for help Wednesday and ran to her rescue. He later recognized her, although she said she had dyed her hair a different shade of red and had gained weight since they had last met. Hobbit said he decided not to say anything to the press and police because “I wanted Santa Claus to be the hero.”

Margolis said she did not immediately recognize Hobbit either. Once she learned his identity, she said she did not mention it in interviews because “I was still in shock. I had just gone through a traumatic experience.”

Since the incident, Hobbit and Margolis have been featured in a brief segment on the ABC morning program “The Home Show” and were guests on Rick Dees’ show on radio station KIIS, which awarded Hobbit $500. He immediately donated the money to charity, ABC and KIIS spokeswomen said.

Hobbit has been in the news previously as Santa. In 1989, in a widely reported incident at a Panorama City shopping center, he said he performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on an 11-year-old boy who was choking on chewing gum. At the time, Hobbit refused to give his real name and also said he “wanted Santa to be the hero.”