Man caught on surveillance stealing safe from Central Austin hair salon

A local business owner is hoping someone will recognize a man who broke into a Central Austin hair salon and stole their safe. 

Surveillance caught the moments the brazen burglar broke into the Urban Betty Salon early Thursday morning just after 4 am. Chelle Neff is the owner of the central Austin salon, “He obviously was a professional, he definitely knew what he was coming for and what he wanted,” she said.

The video captured the man first throwing rocks at the glass door of the salon.

He eventually kicked it in, “He came immediately around to the cash rack, to grab the cash drawer, which wasn't in there. We don't ever leave that out and open.” Neff said the man went through the entire 3400 square foot salon within four minutes.

“All the closet doors were open, air conditioning closet, hair color was pulled out.” But she said he knew what he was coming for. “He knew where to go; he studied it somehow, someway.” The man is later seen in the video leaving with the safe.

The Austin Police Department is investigating and Neff is hoping someone may recognize the man.

“We need more people, it's somebody saying I saw the shoes, I recognize the shoes that might not be enough, and we need someone to say ‘hey I know him.’”

Though the burglar did get away with some cash Neff said it wasn't worth all the hassle.

“We're mostly credit cards so we don't have a ton of cash. At the end of the day I have insurance and it's great, however I do have a deductible. The deductible I end up paying out of my own pocket is more than he ever got out the door with.” But for a small business owner, the toll is much more than just money.

“This is my heart and soul, so when someone takes from me, it's very emotional,” she said.