You would probably guess that burglars are looking for iPhones, cash, and jewelry, but would you also think of human hair?!
Robberies are occurring all over the country, including in our city. “A reported $230,000 worth of extensions from the 35th Street Beauty Supply store in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood” were stolen last year. “A year earlier, thieves bypassed Beauty One’s register and beelined straight for the remy packs, taking $80,000 of the product.”
Hair extensions have become a HOT commodity to burglars, in particular, Remy brand hair extensions. “The remy hair frenzy is not without merit: They’re the highest grade of real, human hair on the market, because the cuticles are kept intact and not stripped. This means they look natural and stay shiny, soft and tangle-free.” The hair extensions can be sold anywhere from $100 to thousands of dollars.
Our team member, Miranda, donated 12 inches of her hair.
A team member of VinTech recently donated 12 inches of her hair to the wonderful organization, Wigs for Kids, a private, non-profit organization relying solely on donations to make durable, custom Hair Replacement Systems that look just as a child’s natural hair would. It takes 20-30 donations, and upwards of $1800 to make just one wig.
With hair having this much value, burglars caught on to this easy, pricey haul. “They’re even easier to pilfer, and to get away with, than other products that commonly make their way into underground markets, like iPhones or over-the-counter medication, since the extensions aren’t marked with bar codes or serial numbers. Once they’re stolen, they’re virtually impossible to trace or tie back to a store.”
We hope that salons and beauty supply shop owners are aware of this new theft sweeping our nation, and have security measures in place, such as surveillance cameras!
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