A crime spree that targeted several hair salons across Wairarapa over the past week has been cut short after police arrested and charged two people on Friday in connection to the string of robberies.
A 43-year-old male and a 29-year-old female appeared before Masterton District Court on Saturday [January 27], and they were remanded in custody until their next appearance on February 8.
Detective Sergeant Dean Cadwallader, who was part of the team tasked with the investigation, confirmed the burglaries hadn’t been exclusive to hair salons or barbershops, and further charges are pending.
The male is being charged with the burglaries of three hair salons, a barbershop in Eketāhuna, and a clothing store in Masterton, while the female has been charged with two instances of driving off without paying for petrol.
A store on Chapel St selling Canterbury clothing had approximately $5000 worth of merchandise lifted by the alleged offenders at 4.20am on Monday, January 22, he said.
Across the three hair salons, the barbershop, and the clothing store in Masterton, the arrested pair allegedly stole an estimated $25,000 worth of items, most of which has been recovered by Wairarapa Police.
Cadwallader acknowledged that the physical damage to the buildings could also represent thousands of dollars in required repairs.
Headquarters Hair Design in Carterton was hit in the early hours of Saturday, January 20, with the thieves forcibly entering the premises at about 3.20am by breaking down a side door and taking between $3000 and $3500 worth of stock during the theft – mainly GHD hair straighteners for retail sale.
The barbershop in Eketāhuna, Stay Sharp Barbershop, had a “few thousand” dollars’ worth of products and tools stolen during a robbery on the night of Sunday, January 21.
A silver Ford saloon-style car, believed to be a Falcon, was caught on CCTV footage in the vicinity of multiple locations around the time they were broken into.
The Shine hair salon in Greytown and D’Vine Hair and Beauty in Martinborough were also ransacked during the duo’s salon spree, with thousands of dollars’ worth of products, tools, and stock taken from these establishments too.
Police originally theorised the offenders may have been looking to set up their own salon based on the type of equipment stolen, but Cadwallader said this is no longer the case based on the pending charges and types of stores burgled.
He said that it was clear to police that hair salons were being targeted so during the course of the investigation, they visited local salon owners and warned them of the burglaries.
Other businesses and establishments across the region also fell prey to burglaries over the past week but, while further charges are pending, the details of these will not be reported on until after the next court appearance on February 8.
A great sign for community’s and retailers that police are on the job.