ATM thieves smash into a Huntington Beach barbershop

Thieves smashed into a Huntington Beach barbershop and used a tow line to drag an ATM machine out of the business early Saturday.

The heist was reported at about 12:50 a.m. on the 19000 block of Brookhurst Street, Huntington Beach police said.

A caution sign sits where an ATM machine was ripped from the floor during an early morning burglary at Hermanos Barbershop in Huntington Beach.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

Edgar Murguia owns Hermanos Barbershop and said his cousin was in the business at the time of the break-in.

“He was working late and had fallen asleep in a back room,” Murguia said. “He got startled when it happened and ran out the back door, then called the police when he was in a safe place.”

Surveillance footage showed possibly three people in a faded white pickup breaking into the business, Murguia said. They then tied a line to an ATM machine and used the truck to pull it out.

Murguia said he and his employees stayed up until about 5:30 a.m. to clean and board up their storefront so they could open for business on Saturday. He estimated it may cost between $2,000 and $3,000 to repair the damage.

David Dinh cuts Mitchell Archer’s hair, 10, and Jonathan Romero works on Vicken Antounian’s hair at Hermanos Barbershop on Monday.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

In the meantime, the barbershop has seen a surge of support from the local community, its owner said.

“I really have to say thank you to everybody,” Murguia said. “People coming in for cuts, that’s all we could really ask for. Thank you, and we’re not going anywhere.”

Hermanos Barbershop has been in business in Huntington Beach for about five years, Murguia said. They also have a location in Cypress.

David Dinh cuts 10-year-old Mitchell Archer’s hair at Hermanos Barbershop.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

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