Thieves in the U.S. are turning to an unlikely new source of income – human hair.
According to salon owners from Chicago to Los Angeles, robberies of the seemingly abundant material are on the rise, with experienced crooks even stealing to order for cash strapped customers.
And with packets of the most expensive ‘Remy’ hair fetching up to $200 a time, thieves are making off with over $100,000 worth of stock in a single raid.
Speaking to the New York Times, Chicago Police detective Vito Ferro said hair thefts in the city looked like the work of people sophisticated enough to have taken custom orders.
He said: ‘It’s like someone says, ‘I’m looking for a 1992 Cadillac Eldorado,’ and so you go out looking for that car.’
As well as small time grab and run style shop lifting, larger salons and stockists across the country have seen a spate of high value robberies in the last few months.
Earlier this month, My Trendy Place salon in Houston had $150,000 worth of stock stolen, while in March a Michigan store owner was killed during a holdup by gunmen who stole 80 packages of hair extensions worth about $10,000.
Over the last few months, thefts have included an $85,000 heist in Texas, $60,000 taken from a business in California and $10,000 in stolen hair taken from a San Diego shop.
