HOODED burglars stuffed ‘swag bags’ with hair straighteners and stock worth thousands of pounds after forcing their way in to a popular hair salon.

Gerry Thornton, owner of Mango Hair Design, in Crouch Street, Colchester, has been left counting the cost after the thieves managed to push a panel of glass out of a doorframe.

They went about filling black sacks with stock displayed in the window, before fleeing into the night.

Devastated Gerry, 37, felt helpless when she heard the news, as she had just arrived in Marrakesh for a holiday.

“Staff had arrived and the window was already boarded up,” she said.

“I had just arrived at the airport and noticed the messages from staff telling me what had happened.

“I just felt panic and stress, there was nothing I could do.

“I have been in the premises since October, I had another place in Bank Passage before that for five years.

“Someone once tried to push our front door in at the previous place, but didn’t succeed.”

The three raiders, who were hooded and masked their faces, can be seen on the salon’s CCTV footage filling bags with items, including expensive hair straighteners and brushes.

“They pushed the glass out and then climbed underneath to access the display,” said Gerry.

“They go in with swag bags and grabbed a lot of straighteners.

“I haven’t taken a proper inventory yet, but it must of been £2,000 worth of stock - all my straighteners and brushes.”

The thieves struck at around 11.45pm on Sunday, June 3.

Gerry issued a stark warning to other business owners and said she believed beauty and hair salons were “easy targets.”

“I think it is quite common for salons to experience this kind of break-in,” she said.

“I had heard of a very similar incident at a salon in Frinton a few weeks ago.

“It’s just difficult as I have taken this place on, carried out a refurbishment and put lots of hard work in.

“Then you get lowlifes like this who have no regard for the consequences.”

Charles Timbs Hair and Beauty, in Connaught Avenue, Frinton was targeted last month while the owner was on holiday in Turkey.

Stock, including eight straighteners worth more than £100 each, was taken after the crooks forced their way in.

Gerry insists she has done all she can to make sure her business is secure as possible.

She said: “I have CCTV, which has been given to the police, and I have alarms, what more can I do?”

Anyone with information can contact Essex Police on 101.