A woman, speaking rapidly and flailing her arms, came in with two men to try on wigs, said Wigs ‘N More owner Kathleen Hendrickson. She claimed to have brain cancer, Hendrickson said.
But it became apparent that the trio weren't at the boutique along Route 981 to make a purchase. Finally, after the woman ran her fingers through the hair of a long, blonde wig and admired her reflection in a mirror, the three took off with the $400 wig concealed under the woman's coat, state police said.
The store specializes in helping female cancer patients with wigs and mastectomy items. Financing programs are available to help patients purchase wigs, but Hendrickson said she didn't get a chance to tell the suspect about them because of how she was acting.
But that didn't discourage her or her employees at the store that afternoon from trying to help.
“You're going to treat them like they're sick, and you're going to treat them kindly,” she said.
Police said the two men attempted to distract the employees while the woman tried on numerous wigs. Investigators have surveillance video of the suspects milling about the boutique and the woman trying on the blonde wig that police said she took.
All three suspects are white. The woman had short blonde hair — about 4 inches long — with dark roots, Hendrickson said.
One man wore a black zip-up hooded sweatshirt with a black and yellow ball cap. He had a neck tattoo and a braided goatee. The other man wore a light blue hooded sweatshirt and had a short beard.
