Vancouver wig shop broken into a third time, roughly $40K in product stolen

A Vancouver wig shop has been broken into for a third time since 2020, and roughly $40,000 worth of product was stolen.

Someone smashed the front window of Jo Hair Studio on Cambie Street around Jan. 20, reached through the glass and the business’s bars, and stole a bunch of wigs, according to staffer Melissa MacGregor.

“It’s horrible because this isn’t the first time that it’s happened, and it’s taking away product from people who really need it,” she told Global News. “It’s upsetting.”

Jo Hair Studio supplies wigs to cancer and alopecia patients, and people who have hair loss for all kinds of genetic or medical reasons. Each human-hair wig sells for up to $4,000.

The shop was also broken into twice in 2020 and thousands of dollars worth of wigs were stolen then too, said MacGregor.

“I don’t know if it’s someone who’s specifically targeting the business … If it continues to happen it’s going to cause issues,” she said.

“My mom would be mad at me if I swore on the news, but I think it’s really bad karma and you’re taking away from people who really need it,” MacGregor added, addressing her comments to the thief or thieves.

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MacGregor said Vancouver police were informed of the robbery after it happened, but have not attended the shop to date.

In an interview, Const. Tania Visintin said the detachment is still in the early stages of investigation the incident. No arrests have been made.

“It’s very concerning, anytime a business loses this amount of product — and in this case, this type of product is going to those helping those who are suffering. It’s very disheartening on all fronts for sure,” she told Global News.