POLICE are combing the territory for well-tonsured thieves who have posed as beauty salon customers to carry out a crop of hair salon robberies.
Three salons in Wan Chai, Western Market and Wong Tai Sin were raided in the same week by robbers who first asked for either hair cuts, perms or manicures before escaping with thousands of dollars in cash and possessions.
By posing as patrons, the thieves can look for gaps in the salons' security, and judge how well-off the customers are, said Mr Tsang Fu-luang of the Monea Beauty Parlour in Wan Chai.
He said an identical technique was used several years ago during an earlier wave of hold-ups.
''It looks like the trend is coming back again,'' he said.
''My friend used to work in a salon in Yau Ma Tei, which is a crowded district.
''Three robbers came in and asked for perms. While having their hair done, they assessed the salon and its customers and tried to judge when the time was right.
