Two Crawley hairdressers burgled in a week

A police spokesman said CCTV cameras, hairdryers and hair dressing equipment were stolen when L and C Barbers in Gatwick Road was broken into last night (Sunday April 10). Another Crawley hairdresser is counting the cost and ‘fuming’ after her shop was targeted in a break-in overnight on Monday last week. Audrey McClung discovered broken glass on the floor, a till and cupboards raided and hairdressing equipment stolen from her salon in Three Bridges. Audrey, who has run Pauline, in Three Bridges Road, for 30 years, said: “I was absolutely fuming when I got here. “I actually stood and swore. “It was just coming in and finding everything all over the floor.” She estimated the cost of the break-in as £500. Up to to £250 was stolen from staff tip boxes, £15 from a till, and hair tongs worth about £85 were taken. Replacing her salon’s back double-glazed window - which was smashed with a brick - would cost £170. And she had to cancel appointments on the day after the raid. Pauline has been a hairdresser all her life. She was born and bred in Crawley and took over Pauline, keeping its original name, about 30 years ago. The shop has been a hairdressers for 50 years. Audrey had worked hard to decorate it and buy new equipment. She said: “It was just a mess everywhere. “I came in on Tuesday morning about 7.30am so it must have happened in the early hours. “They had broke through the back window and there was glass everywhere.” Raiders had gone through the salon and tipped the contents of cupboards and left hair straighteners and tools on the floor. Pauline said a burglar climbed a brick wall behind her salon. A brick was loosened and used to smash the window. Pauline said she had heard of similar break-ins at hairdressers over the last few months. Police appealed for witnesses but a spokesman did not confirm if the case was linked to any others. Readers on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/crawley.observer) responded in anger to the burglary. Kev Greenwood asked if the money which was stolen was ‘really worth it’. Pauline only discovered the empty tip boxes and theft of hairdressing equipment after police reports stated £15 was stolen from a till. A spokesman said: “Overnight between Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 April a hairdressers at Three Bridges Road, Crawley, was broken into by breaking a rear window and £15 cash was taken from the till.” Witnesses were asked to call police on 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting 1208 of 5/4. Information could also be sent anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-org.uk * Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1) Make our website your homepage at www.crawleyobserver.co.uk 2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/crawleyobserver 3) Follow us on Twitter @Crawley_Obby 4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! The Crawley Observer - always the first with your local news. Be part of it.