News 12 at 11 o'clock, July 26, 2010

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C.-- It is the one of the worst things a business owner can experience - theft. Thousands of dollars worth of merchandise was stolen from a North Augusta business owned by Jayson and Susan Lacy.

"This [ jewelry holder ] was full with bracelets, maybe 30 dollars a piece,"said Susan.

Jayson and Susan's business, a salon and a boutique, was the target of thieves sometime early Monday morning.

"Our computer was stolen, which is the lifeline to our business so that was the first thing gone," said Susan. " That's the thing that hurts the most."

Jayson Lacy was the first to discover the incident. He had scheduled a meeting with a potential new hire and stylist at the shop and was there early to conduct an interview.

"She had already let herself in," said Jayson. "She said the door was open. I knew then, something was wrong."

The couple have since secured the salon even more by adding in a new security system.

"First thing, we had an alarm system installed so we are sure now. We didn't have that before," added Jayson.

North Augusta Public Safety Officers say there has not been a huge spike in crimes lately and there is no pattern. But the Lacys and others say there is cause for concern.

"We know some people who have had cars broken into in the Hammond's Ferry several times lately and we have another friend with a business up the street," said Susan.

Rhonda Dixon is the "friend up the street" that the Lacys is referring to that has been a victim. Dixon works at Walker Sports Marketing where thieves recently stole a grill from them.

"We don't want to be worried and we don't want people who come in our building to be worried,"said Rhonda.

Dixon said that a new security system was recently installed there too. She says it is a shame they have to take such measures.

If anybody opens a door,we're alerted and we know which doors are open," said Rhonda. "Small things but things that almost seem they should be unnecessary in North Augusta. It's such a wonderful town so we feel like we shouldn't have to do those things."

The Lacys lost clothing, jewelry and other merchandise too but they are not bitter. While they pick up the pieces they believe there's a lesson in all of this.

"Our eyes have been open to the fact that we're in a recession," said Jayson. "It opened our eyes that there are people out there that need things. What was stolen was enough to take a hit but not enough to cut our legs from underneath us."

The Lacys say their misfortune has prompted them to do something positive. They are offering free haircuts between now and Saturday, July 31st for people who bring school supplies to help the United Way. They say it's their way of putting the crime behind them