OAKLAND PARK, Fla. – Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives are seeking the public’s help in locating a man who robbed a beauty store taking approximately $1,200 worth of merchandise in Oakland Park and pepper spraying employees, authorities said.
According to BSO spokesperson Claudinne Caro, detectives responded to a robbery call around 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 7 at a beauty store near the 700 block of East Oakland Park Boulevard.
According to investigators, one employee was standing outside the beauty store when a white Kia SUV backed into the parking space at the entrance of the business.
The man was caught on surveillance video exiting the passenger side of the vehicle. Shortly after, both the employee and the man proceeded to enter the store.
After entering the business, video surveillance showed the man pepper spraying that employee in the face and grabbing several wigs off the mannequins on the front counter.
The video also shows the man pepper spraying a second employee who was behind the counter before leaving the store without paying for the items.
Surveillance video shows the man getting into the passenger side of the white SUV before the driver drove away.
The owner of the store, who asked to not be identified, told Local 10 News reporter Christian De La Rosa that the thief was trying to steal wigs to become a woman.
“I think he (is a) drag queen--he looks like a man but he is becoming a woman,” he said.
The business owner said he believes the thief knew exactly what he was looking for after grabbing wigs that are made from human hair kind as opposed to synthetic type wigs.
“All our human wigs like $400 to $500 the cost of each of them,” he said.
Another employee told Local 10 News that this isn’t the first time he’s been hit by the same wig villain.
Video surveillance showed another recent break-in at his shop and he’s convinced it’s the same person.
“He comes in, he cut my alarm system and pick up everything, whatever he likes and puts it in the garbage bag,“ the employee said. “I don’t want him to do that again. If he needs something he can ask me.”
Detectives said the man was wearing a black hoodie jacket with white writing on the sleeves. He was also wearing a mask on his face, an orange shirt under his jacket and blue pants.
Police identified the getaway vehicle as a white Kia SUV with a Florida license plate reading 645DZB.
Authorities said that one of the employees that got pepper sprayed got sick from the attack and ended up at a nearby hospital. Police said the victim is expected to be OK.
Anyone with information is urged to contact BSO Robbery Unit Detective Mark Copley at 954-321-4738 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.