The owners of a Northwest Albany hit overnight by thieves, say businesses need to stick together and work together to fight crime.
Albany Police reports show burglaries and larcenies are actually down from last year, but businesses remain a constant target.
Those crimes can be devastating to small business owners.
By mid morning it was business as usual at Backstage Hair Salon and The Comfort Zone, but a hit by burglars made the start to the morning anything but routine.
"They stepped up on our AC unit and tried to come into this window you can see where on the end where there's chipped paint and two gashes in the wood," said Hope Morey, The Comfort Zone owner.
When they weren't successful, they pried open this window. Once inside the thieves struck at the life blood of this business, their client's information from appointments to phone numbers, likely without even knowing it.
"This is actually where our cash register sat, in our register we kept up with our client base," said Morey.
"This is where the computer system that had our software that held all the clients names, number, email addresses and everything so we know who's walked out the door and who's walking in the door, so computer system they just wiped us clean," said Jodi Mann, Backstage Hair Salon owner.
The sound system was ripped from its wires and stolen merchandise also packed a tough blow, everything from shelves of nail polish at The Comfort Zone to shelves of shampoo and conditions at Backstage.
"It is a large stock of L'Oreal expert line and OPI nail polish the times line which includes bath salts, bath lotions and colognes," said Mann.
The owners worry it could turn up for sale on the street or at a flea market and ask the community to keep their eye open and report it if they notice the merchandise or saw anything suspicious especially since it was raining last night.
"If you saw anything, the car under the garage, what kind of car was it, anybody walking through the yard, anything please give us a call," said Morey.
The business is making changes which will include an alarm system and talking with other businesses about what can do collectively to ensure no one else it hit, because they say they won't let thieves tear down a business community they're trying desperately to build up.
The salons owners encourage customers to call them if they had scheduled an appointment over the next several months, so they can rebuild their schedule.
If you know anything about the break-in, Call Crime Stoppers at 436-TIPS. You can find information to Backstage Hair Salon and the Comfort Zone on their facebook pages at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Backstage-Hair-Salon/135342414494 and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Backstage-Hair-Salon/135342414494#!/pages/Comfort-Zone-Day-Spa/191526524200564
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