Thieves steal $35,000 worth of wigs from the Solana Beach store that serves cancer patients

SOLANA BEACH, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) – Staff at a Solana Beach store are trying to get back to normal after thieves broke in and made off with expensive specialty items.

“All the mannequins were thrown on the ground,” explains Marisol Cortes, manager at Strut Hair Solutions on Lomas Santa Fe Dr. “It was just a shock to us to see our store vandalized like this.”

Security camera footage shows two masked thieves entering around 3:30 a.m. on Monday and then filling garbage bags with wigs and hair extensions.

Helena Gibson, who has owned the store for 13 years, said it was a $35,000 hit.

“One of the officers counted that they had received 36 wigs and about 28 hair toppers and a few extensions,” Gibson said.

The hairpieces are made for women undergoing chemotherapy or living with alopecia or COVID-related hair loss.

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“The officers said this is happening more and more because they can’t break into Target, Nordstrom and the like because they have armed guards,” Gibson said.

She also said the alarm at her store never went off and she is currently working with her security system provider to resolve the issue.

“They say they’re not liable,” Gibson said.

She wanted to share the lesson she learned so other entrepreneurs can avoid similar situations.

“Check your alarm contracts and make sure you have cover if there is a fault and it doesn’t work,” Gibson added.

The business owner is also considering installing security beams on the front of the building for additional protection.

Gibson said a late-model White Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup was seen leaving the scene. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call San Diego police at 619-531-2000.

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