Edinburgh hairdresser hit by opportunistic thief

Staff at an Edinburgh salon were left shocked after an opportunistic thief stole a brand new phone from the front desk.

Bryony Quate on Bruntsfield Place released CCTV footage, seen by the Evening News, of the theft in the hope of catching the perpetrator.

Founder of the hairdressers Bryony Quate told the Edinburgh Evening News: “It was a gentleman and a woman who were passing by, and the woman came in, in broad daylight when we had clients in, and stole the phone that was behind the desk.

“It was a brand new iPhone, luckily it was insured but, you know, I get that phones can be replaced, but it leaves such a bad feeling, it throws up insecurities.

“Especially these days when we are just trying to get back on our feet.”

The phone was taken by the brazen thief at around 6.20pm on Sunday evening.

Ms Quate continued: “The staff have been going above and beyond during this time, and the support from our clients has been amazing.

“It’s really sad that something like this has happened, it just makes you feel a bit sick.”

The CCTV footage shows a man and the woman passing the hairdressers and spotting the phone through the window.

The man takes the woman’s bag from her before she opens the door, leans over the desk and picks up the phone before making her escape.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police Scotland received a report of a theft of a mobile phone from a business on Bruntsfield Place in Edinburgh around 6.20pm on Sunday, 19 July.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information can call 101, quoting incident 3512 of 19 July.”

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