CCTV captured the moment a masked burglar raided a landmark Manchester beauty salon, swiping designer makeup and other valuables worth £2,000.
The raid happened at Kara Makeup, based in a pod in Castlefield in Manchester city centre.
The thief is thought to have used a ladder to climb onto a balcony before smashing a door lock to get into premises. CCTV released by the business shows the brazen burglar dragging two bags behind him which had had stuffed with valuables stolen from the pod at 1.30am on Sunday.
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The pod, just off Regent Road, has become an unusual Manchester landmark. Kara Makeup started trading there two years ago.
The thief took designer makeup including by Nars, Mac, P Louise and BPerfect as well as an iPad which featured pictures of clients, GHD hair curlers and a pink make-up case which was ready for a weekend wedding client.
The business had worried three wedding clients it has booked for the weekend may have to be cancelled, but staff say they will be able to replenish stocks of make-up in time.
It has been forced to cancel make-up 'masterclass' organised for May, however.
Staff say they struggle to see how the make-up would be sold on 'except as a job lot' as much of it is in containers which have already been opened and used.
One make-up artist who works at the parlour, Lamisa Akram, 24, from Middleton, told the M.E.N: "We wouldn't wish this on anybody. We are just trying to do a job and people are trying to stop us. With the cost of living crisis, we're all trying to get by as best we can.
"It's not just us. It's the people who have booked us. They don't deserve that the week before their wedding. We could have cancelled them but we're trying our best to make sure they have the best day possible.
"For us, more than anything it's the inconvenience of it. Hopefully, we will get something back. Nobody was hurt, which is a positive. I just hope we can get something back and get some answers."
The owner of Kara, Fatima Ahmed, 30, said: "We've not had to cancel any clients at the moment but we've had to re-invest money to get (makeup) kits together to keep our clients and not let them down this weekend.
"It's been terrible. It's scary how someone can just walk in. I don't know how many times I've checked my CCTV on my phone since this happened. It really does stress you out. You don't realise until later how much of an effect it has on you."
She added: "The crime rate around here is ridiculous. There have been dozens of cars broken into in the car park next door over the last three or four months. It's an ongoing thing."
The security system in place included motion sensors but at the moment of the burglary 'for some reason' no alert came through to her phone, said Fatima who confirmed her business is insured.
Detectives have visited the premises and a spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed an investigation was underway.
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