A thief burst open the doors to a Moray hair salon – before going in backwards to avoid being picked up on CCTV.
The culprit backed his way into Serenity Hair and Beauty in Elgin, before immediately taking the camera off the wall.
He then raided the salon’s petty cash and tips, fleeing with hundreds of pounds.
It is the latest in a spate of break-ins at businesses across the region, and last night police said they were keeping an “open mind” about if they were linked.
Salon owner Claire Emson last night suggested the thief “knew what he was doing” when he targeted her shop.
She said that, after prising open the door, he entered the venue backwards to avoid detection by CCTV cameras, and then removed the security device from the wall.
Ms Emson said: “One of our hairdressers noticed the door had been damaged, it looked like it had been split open with a crowbar.
“What was really strange was that the CCTV footage showed the man entering backwards, so we really only have an image of the back of his head.
“He spent more than 10 minutes inside, having a good rummage around and went through all our drawers looking for money.
“It’s really upsetting for something like this to happen, especially at this time of year.”
The businesswoman added that £120 in tips – which had been donated to a hairdresser saving up for a holiday – had been taken – as well as around £100 petty cash.
Ms Emson said: “We just want to make sure that other people know to keep their doors locked and do everything that they can to prevent thefts, as this really is gutting.”
The man was recorded breaking into the premises at 5.45pm on Tuesday evening, and the damage was discovered on Wednesday morning.
Scores of appointments had to be cancelled as smashed glass was cleared up and police dusted for fingerprints.
It is understood officers are now scouring security footage captured by neighbouring businesses to see if they can offer any clues.
Earlier this week, the Scotmid Co-op in the town’s Thornhill Road was broken into and just the week before Christmas, the Brander Arms in Lossiemouth was raided.
Last night, a police spokeswoman said investigators had not ruled out the chance that all three crimes were
committed by the same person.
She added: “We are looking into a theft by housebreaking on Academy Street in Elgin, which took place after 5.40pm on Tuesday.
“We are keeping an open mind as to whether the incident may be linked to others in the area, and inquiries remain ongoing into each of them.”
Elgin City South councillor, John Divers, added: “These people who carry out crimes like this don’t seem to care about the effect they have on people.
“I only hope they get caught and dealt with in an appropriate way.”
Staff at Lossiemouth’s Brander Arms were left dismayed when a thief struck at the pub in the early hours of Saturday,
December 17.
The crook made away with more than £400 by raiding tills, tip jars and a charity collection to buy meals for lonely pensioners at Christmas.
And in the early hours of Boxing Day, the Co-op store on Elgin’s Thornhill Road was targeted.
A man, who had obscured his face with his jacket and hood, smashed his way through the door and stole £60 worth of spirits.
Anyone with any information should call 101 or the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555111.
