More than two dozen Sarpy County Sheriff's Department deputies were in the store at the time. Some of the 25 deputies taking 75 underprivileged children holiday shopping noticed a man running from the Walmart with electronics in hand.

As pictures were being snapped with the children, deputies and Santa, 49-year-old David Sherman headed for the parking lot. Several officers caught up to him hiding in a car.

"It really set the tone for the weekend coming up for us, for Christmas and what Christmas is supposed to be about," Sarpy County Lt. Kevin Griger said.

Sherman was booked on felony shoplifting charges. In an interview Thursday at the Sarpy County Jail in Papillion where Sherman is being held, he said he's not sure what his fate will be, but that he had a good reason for trying to steal a $79 DVD player.

"I just feel real bad. I feel like I really let myself down, let people down. I just feel real stupid. When you are on that stuff, your mind, you're not thinking about no police or nothing," said Sherman. "Your mind is just thinking about getting some more drugs."

Sherman said he's in significant pain, detoxing from drugs. He agreed to talk for two reasons, to apologize and to hopefully get help with his addiction.

"Because I ain't trying to hurt nobody. I didn't hurt anybody. It was just drugs and alcohol, that's it. I just hope that they can give me a chance to get my life back on track," he said.

Sherman said he could be facing 10 to 60 years in prison for shoplifting. He believes this could be his sixth time in jail for shoplifting and other charges.