A SALON owner says she will turn her premises into Colchester’s Fort Knox after being targeted by crooks for a FOURTH time.

Suzanne Taylor, who has run Ivory Taylor for 23 years, says the latest raid has left her and her staff feeling “soul destroyed”.

Brazen thieves undertook an overnight raid at the salon in Highwoods Square after they removed the trim of the front door, took the glass out and walked in.

Once inside they helped themselves to hairdressing equipment belonging to the staff and a series of oils and products.

Suzanne told how she rushed to the salon in pyjamas with her daughter, 20, at 3am when the alarm was raised.

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She believes they missed the crooks by just minutes as a car pulled away as they arrived.

“It was scary because it was pitch black and there wasn’t another soul about,” the salon owner said.

“They had caused damage to the front door and stole the girls’ personal hairdressing equipment and products. I knew there had been other break-ins in town, so it’s so upsetting to have also been hit.

“I couldn’t leave the premises alone and so had to put the cracked glass from the door back in myself. I couldn’t afford to pay the prices to call someone out.

“The car we saw fleeing soon came back and was sat there with its lights on watching us - it was very unsettling.

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“You get the realisation that neither me or my daughter could go home to get dressed as there was no way one of us could have defended ourselves alone.”

Suzanne, who was suffering with Covid at the time of the raid, says she has not yet been able to work out the cost of the damages, but knows it won’t be cheap.

She added: “It’s the fourth time we’ve been broken into and, to be honest, it’s soul destroying.

“I’m going to have to make the place look like Fort Knox as I’m not going to walk away from 23 years of trading just because some wrong’uns keep targeting me.

“I’m not prepared to give up my livelihood.”