Robbers grab $30K in hair extensions

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By Mike Morris

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thieves targeting high-dollar hair extensions smashed their way into a southwest Atlanta beauty supply store early Thursday in the second such burglary on the southside in recent weeks. Thursday's incident happened about 4:30 a.m. at the Beauty Master store at 3031 Headland Drive SW near Greenbriar Parkway, according to Atlanta police.

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Mike Morris, mmorris@ajc.com Manager Lucien Poko surveys the mess left by burglars at the Beauty Master store in Atlanta.

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Store manager Lucien Poko told the AJC that the four burglars who were driving a black Chevrolet Suburban smashed out two front entry doors with a rock and went straight to the display of Remi hair extensions on the wall behind the front counter.

The thieves took dozens of packages of the hair extensions, which Poko said sell for $140 and up. He estimated the total loss at $30,000.

Atlanta police spokeswoman Kim Jones said three of the suspects were wearing gloves, and all were wearing masks. She said detectives would likely be comparing notes with Clayton County police investigators to determine if the suspects were the same men responsible for a similar hair heist late last month.

On May 26, thieves rammed a car through the front door of a Clayton beauty supply store, then made off with an estimated $10,000 in hair extensions.

Don Kang, owner of the Beauty Emporium store on Riverdale Road, said the thieves “rammed the front with a car, then they came in and stole all the expensive hair.Four or five guys, wearing gloves and masks. They came in and they were out of here in about a minute.”

Kang said Thursday's burglary is also one of many in recent months at area beauty supply stores.

“The thieves are targeting beauty supplies,” he said. “They’re going after the expensive hair. It’s been happening to a lot of beauty supply [stores].”

And the burglaries aren't just in metro Atlanta.

The New York Times reported last month that thieves targeting extensions have recently stolen $150,000 in hair from a Houston salon, $90,000 in extensions from a beauty supply store in Chicago and $85,000 in hair from a store in Missouri City, Texas.

Other cities reporting similar thefts include San Diego, San Leandro, Calif., and Dearborn, Mich.

Packages of the most expensive hair type can cost as much as $200 in beauty supply stores, but hair extensions have turned up being sold out of car trunks for as little as $25, the Times said.