'It's devastating' - thieves target Hartlepool salon twice since it reopened following lockdown

Jane Moore’s Hair Design, Stockton Road, Hartlepool, is facing “more financial strain” after raiders stole lead and a security camera in separate incidents.

The shop, which has been run by Jane for 23 years, was also targeted by lead thieves before restrictions eased at the start of last week.

With the overall bill for repairs running into thousands of pounds, Jane, 52, from the Dyke House area of town, now faces an anxious wait before learning how much of the cost will be met by insurers.

She said: "It’s devastating. Obviously we’ve been out of work for so long and all the money that we’ve been able to accumulate this week we’ll have to spend again on another piece of lead.”

The latest lead theft is thought to have taken place between 9.20pm-9.35pm on Thursday, April 15, with the camera believed to have been stolen early on Sunday, April 18.

Gemma Moore, who is Jane’s daughter and a freelance stylist, went with her mum to the salon when they found out about the April 15 incident.

Gemma, 31, said: “I was gutted and hoping that the salon could still open especially with it being the first week back.

"Our clients rely on us for a lot more than their hair. A lot of our clients have been coming to our salon for years.

"They’ve watched me grow up over the years and we are friends. Some don’t have any family close and it's been hard on them during the pandemic.

“It's also gutting as times have been hard for all small businesses during the past year and it’s just more financial strain my mam doesn’t need.”

The shop was eventually able to open on April 16 before it was targeted for a third time over the weekend.

All three incidents have been reported to Cleveland Police.

Speaking about the April 18 incident, a force spokesperson said: “On Sunday morning we received a report that people had been on the roof of a business on Stockton Road during the night.

"We asked the caller to check if there had been any damage caused or anything stolen and they re-contacted us that afternoon confirming damage to the roof and the theft of a CCTV system.

“The caller was advised this would be recorded as criminal damage and they were given a crime reference number for insurance purposes.

“If anyone has information on who may be involved in this incident please contact Cleveland Police via the 101 number, quoting ref 61030.”

Police patrols in the Stockton Road area were stepped up back in March following concerns over attempted burglaries, thefts and car crime.

Temporary Chief Inspector Mark Haworth said at the time: “I want to reassure residents in these areas that we are taking appropriate action in response to their concerns.

“Please continue to share information with neighbourhood officers and to report any suspicious activity by calling 101 so we can build our intelligence and continue to respond swiftly to any problems.”

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