Beauty salon raided overnight by bank holiday crooks

LA Beauty Paradise, and Partners in Hair, both of Foundry Lane, in Burnham, were targeted by crooks overnight on Sunday.

The crooks smashed their way through the front doors of the businesses, leaving a trail of destruction.

They made off with the beauty salon’s till plus hair dryers from the hairdressers, before fleeing the scene.

In the till was around £50-£60 of cash, plus the keys to the sunbeds, which now can’t be used until replacements are found.

The value of the damage to the businesses is not known, but Lee Jane Jones, owner of LA Beauty Paradise, said the break-in has left them feeling “really vulnerable”.

She said: “I came to the salon on Monday morning to retrieve something as we weren’t open due to it being the bank holiday, and found it completely trashed inside.

The front door was smashed through

“It was horrible, I spent the rest of the day trying to sort it. If it had been a normal day we wouldn’t have been able to open.

“Business is hard as it is, but to know that there are these lowlifes who are willing to trash your business just makes you completely demoralised.

“It’s not what they’ve taken that hits you, it’s the amount of damage and pain it’s left as a consequence.”

LA Beauty Paradise has been operating in the town for seven years. This is the first time they have been targeted by burglars.

Despite being insured, after all excess payments and documents are sorted, Ms Jones said she will still have to pay to cover some of the damage caused to the business.

She has advised other businesses to make sure they have security.

She believes criminals are becoming more confident in carrying out crimes in Burnham.

Ms Jones said: “I’ve become quite complacent and felt very safe in Burnham, but all it takes is one incident like this for you to realise how secure you need to be.

“The salon was locked up, but they still got in. It makes you feel vulnerable when you’re nearest police station is Chelmsford.

“These lowlifes know how remote we are and are more confident as a result.

Repairs being made to the front doors

“We’ve only had forensics come out to take prints, other than that police haven’t visited. It’s not their fault, they’ve had their own cutbacks.

“If this proves anything, it shows we have to make people aware that we need to be more wary of our own security.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “We received a call at 12.55pm on Monday about a burglary at Partners in Hair, in Foundry Lane, Burnham.

“Suspects have forced entry to the front of the building and while inside, carried out a search before leaving with five cash boxes, a tip box, hairdryers, hair clips and other hairdressing equipment.”

Anyone with information should contact PC Matt Hillier at Maldon Local Policing Team on 101 quoting crime reference 42/63319/18 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.