‘They broke in and went shopping’

Salon robbery mystifies, devastates stylists and owner

When Kim Jamison opened the doors to The Edge salon on Tuesday, April 13, she knew immediately something was wrong. There was glass on the floor, the 42-inch flat screen television was gone and stylists’ stations were robbed of equipment.

“It is devastating. This is our livelihood. We can’t even conduct business because they stole our clippers and scissors,” Jamison said. The thief or thieves entered the building at 49 Bridge street sometime after the shop closed at 8 p.m. Monday and Jamison entered on Tuesday morning at 8 a.m.

In addition to cash—a deposit, including payroll—the cash register, clippers, scissors and blades, a select amount of salon product was stolen.

“They went shopping,” said owner Kamala McCune. She just opened her doors for business in October and is stunned by the loss, none of which is covered by insurance.

Rockford Police responded to the scene and had fingerprints taken, and found what they believed to be a tennis shoe print outside. They are hoping security cameras downtown may have captured images.

McCune hopes someone might come forward, and is offering a reward for information which leads to the arrest of the responsible person or people.

The Edge salon owner Kamala McCune, above, points out how robbers were selective in the brands and products they stole. Top, stylist Kim Jamison shows where someone used a brick to break a small window and gain access to the salon at 49 Bridge Street sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning.

The stylists at the shop are also devastated and wonder how someone knew which pieces of equipment were valuable. One pair of scissors stolen was worth $400 alone, and along with clippers and blades, each lost as much as $1,800 in personal property.

Also stolen was Crew brand products, among the salon’s priciest inventory. The cash register was taken and if recovered may yield fingerprints. Thieves even stole the shop’s vacuum cleaner.

“We are wracking our brains,” said McCune. “It makes us even more determined to stay in Rockford, though. We aren’t going anywhere.”

Anyone with information may call the Rockford Police Department at (616) 866-9557 or Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345.