'Frustrating:' Thieves caught on camera stealing expensive human hair extensions



Hair extensions at A1 Beauty Supply in Milwaukee



MILWAUKEE -- Managers at a Milwaukee beauty supply store say thefts have gone up during this holiday shopping season -- and there is proof. Surveillance cameras captured two such thefts in just the last week. It turns out, the criminals are after hair -- and they are stealing a lot of it.

It is strange to see so many bare aisles at A1 Beauty Supply on Milwaukee's northwest side -- especially for a store draped in hair. But manager John Kim said he had to make a change because his store keeps getting ripped off.

John Kim



"It's a little frustrating," Kim said. "Because it is human hair, it is more expensive."

There were two thefts of hair extensions in a single week. Both were caught on surveillance video.

"Some of them may have hit other stores in the area," Kim said.

Last Saturday, four women can be seen casing the isle and then filling their coats with packages of hair. One of the women uses a device that removes the security tags.

Thieves steal hair extensions from A1 Beauty Supply



Thieves steal hair extensions from A1 Beauty Supply



"Or sometimes they blatantly put it in a bag and just run out," Kim said.

Kim said these women stole $700 worth of human hair. Then on Thursday, video shows another group of women filling a bag with better than $800 worth of extensions and head for the door.

Thieves steal hair extensions from A1 Beauty Supply



Thieves steal hair extensions from A1 Beauty Supply



Hair extensions at A1 Beauty Supply in Milwaukee



"It's absolutely frustrating because -- now because of this, we've had to inconvenience other customers," Kim said.

Kim hopes showing the video of the thieves will lead to an arrest.

"It's kind of getting ridiculous," Kim said.