Venezuela Hair Thieves Called Piranhas Boldly Stealing Women’s Hair For Profit [Video]

Venezuelan hair thieves called piranhas are attacking women in downtown Maracaibo and cutting off their hair. No, really. Hit that button up top to check out a video from CNN about the growing problem of hair robbery.

As you’ll see, thieves are targeting women with long straight hair, both in parts of Venezuela and neighboring Colombia.

CNN said it’s a crime of opportunity. The victim hears a quick snip, and the hair is gone.

But Latin Times had a darker report. They said that some women have been held up at gunpoint. Those victims are forced to put their hair in a ponytail to make it easier for the Venezuelan hair thieves to get it all in a single chop.

CNN said that the hair thieves sell natural hair to salons for hair extensions. The price? As much as $500. That’s great money for a quick snip.

Apparently, the fad for bigger hair is fueling the rise in crime. One Venezuelan hair stylist said that the use of extensions had swelled by 30 percent in recent years.

And Latin Times said that stealing hair isn’t really considered a crime under Venezuelan law. That suggests that the sneaky cut-and-run piranhas may not even be guilty of a crime — although the thieves that use weapons to steal the hair can be arrested for assault or other charges associated with threatening their victims.

If you understand Spanish, you can watch a Spanish language video by Panorama on the Venezuelan hair theft problem in downtown Maracaibo.

Will the fad come to America? Probably. Earlier this summer, multiple media sources including the Huffington Post reported on the rise in the thefts of hair extensions from beauty salons across America.

Going directly to the source for the hair may be the next logical step.

Maracaibo mayor Eveling de Rosales suggested an easy way to foil Venezuela’s hair thieves. Don’t wear your hair down or in a pony tail. Instead, hide it under a hat or a helmet.

Yeah, that’s attractive. Is there really no better way to get a grip on the Venezuelan hair theft problem?

[hair photo by Subbotina Anna via Shutterstock]