Burglar caught on camera at J Salon & Co

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A break-in at a Valley hair salon caught a burglar on tape early Friday morning. Police say he got away with a brand new computer for what appears to be a very easy crime.

The surveillance video from inside J Salon & Co shows what happened Friday morning at 4:30. An object is used to shatter the window and then the suspect walks in wearing a backpack. In 20 seconds he pulls an iMac from the desk and then yanks the cords and takes the keypad and mouse, before ducking out and pedaling away.

Don Gross with the Fresno Police Department said, "This person could be a patron or unfortunately in this case, you got a brand new computer in front of a large plate glass window, right at a public entrance, so very very obvious that this thing is there. Very very obvious it's a few feet from the window."

Several months ago, the pharmacy next door was burglarized twice, only the thieves were after prescription cough medicine, not computer equipment.

Fresno police say burglaries aren't up, but crimes of opportunity are what business owners should be aware of. Officers say valuable items should be put away nightly or additional security measures taken like roll up doors or some other steel type bars.

Gross added, "Even with the best alarm system, once the alarm system has tripped, somebody has to recognize that and call law enforcement or the security company and all that takes time and even with the best response, in two or three minutes, this one took less than a minute so that person is riding away."

The footage of Friday mornings burglary shows white lights shining through the window seconds before the door breaks. But the outdoor camera shows, it isn't a car, but a bike the suspect is riding. Officers are also collecting surveillance video from other businesses nearby, hoping it shows a clearer picture of the suspects face.

The total loss here was $2,000. Ironically, another older computer was right next to this one and was not taken or touched.