Couple Caught On Camera In Half Moon Bay Wallet Theft At Salon
HALF MOON BAY (KPIX 5) -- Police in Half Moon Bay are looking for a husband and wife team of thieves who were caught on camera last week targeting an area business.
In the video, the couple is seen working together to distract victims before stealing wallets and credit cards.
"They distracted everybody, basically, and ended up leaving with my wallet," said Katelyn Mullins, co-owner of Aqua Beauty Lounge near the Pillar Point Harbor.
Surveillance video show how the couple casually strolled into the salon and started a conversation about their beauty products and making a future appointment.
While the man distracted the front counter person, the woman asked to use the restroom.
But she slipped into an employee's back room and picked out a wallet from a purse, before continuing on to the restroom.
A few minutes later she came out and went for the door. The man stalled around a little more, then he too took off.
"They were able to get away with my credit cards and did spend about $2,000 on one of my cards," Mullins said.
A client getting her hair done spotted the woman holding a wallet and notified her stylist, but the workers were all unsuspecting.
"My client told me and I thought it was probably her wallet. Then she said she was in the back room. I reacted then, but it was too late, they had already taken off," said Lacey Christy, a stylist who was working that day.
Co-owner Jennie Hernandez took action upon learning of the robbery.
"I took off after them, I chased them down to the parking lot. But they had parked close to Mezza Luna, so they were able to escape fast," Hernandez said.
She was able to get a partial plate on the couple's burgundy Honda Accord, which she turned over to police.
Salon workers told KPIX 5 they are more wary now.
"We live in a small community where we feel we can trust people who walk through our door. Now we feel like we have to be on high alert," Mullins said.
The Aqua Beauty Lounge says it is installing additional surveillance cameras and installing lockers where employees can keep their valuables locked away.
The suspects are still at large.
