In a rather unusual case of theft, unidentified thieves decamped with 830 kg of human hair from a godown in Bengaluru. The theft took place in Lakshmipura Cross, north Bengaluru, last week.
Hair stolen from godownAccording to reports, the stolen human hair was stored in 27 bags and was worth Rs 1 crore. CCTV visuals from a nearby establishment showed thieves breaking into the godown and fleeing in an SUV.
Missing locks: 830kg of human hair worth Rs 1 crore stolen from godown in #Bengaluru
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) March 6, 2025
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A total of six men were involved in the theft, and they broke the shutter of the godown, located in the basement of a building, using iron rods. Police have not been able to identify the faces of the thieves or the registration number of the vehicle used for the theft from the CCTV visuals.
Thieves were almost caught in the actWhat makes the theft even more strange is that a local resident had spotted the thieves loading the bags filled with hair but assumed that the goods belonged to them.
The men were reportedly speaking in Telugu and passing instructions on loading the bags onto the SUV.
Venkataswamy, the hair trader whose consignment was stolen, said he shifted his godown from Hebbal to Lakshmipura Cross just around two weeks before the theft.
"We had stored over 830 kg of hair. Those bags were already checked and marked by the buyer," Venkataswamy said.
The business of human hairHuman hair export is a huge industry, and the biggest markets are Myanmar and China.
CREDIT: REUTERS
In India, West Bengal is the major hub for the industry, besides Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. Major competitors of India are China, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
CREDIT: BCCL
Two types of raw human hair are collected in India—remy and non-remy hair. Remy hair, the best grade, is collected from temples where pilgrims donate their hair as part of a religious vow. This quality is mainly used to make hairpieces and wigs. Non-remy hair is household waste collected by small groups of people in villages and cities.
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