The TikTok account for a Long Beach-based beauty salon says two women left the store without paying their $250 bill. The salon, Top Coat Nails & Lashes (@topcoatnails.lashes), posted the now-viral security footage of the women last week.
The salon said it exposed the alleged crime to “spread awareness” and that employees didn’t have any information regarding the women’s identities at the time of posting.
“Please do not make any assumptions about race/ethnicity as we ourselves are not interested in this,” the salon added in the video’s caption.
In the video, the customers appear to run away from the store as employees follow after them. One of the workers makes a phone call as others trail behind her.
In another angle from security footage, the two women, who are wearing face masks like many other employees and visitors, get up from their seats and quickly exit through the front door of the salon.
The Daily Dot reached out to Top Coat via Instagram DM.
In California, refusing to pay for services less than $950 is considered petty theft, a misdemeanor punishable by fines and up to six months in jail.
Viewers who saw Top Coat’s post expressed sympathy for the salon and frustration over the alleged theft.
“If you can’t afford it don’t go like you really want to go to jail bc you couldn’t pay for your nails?” a TikTok user who goes by Sophia wrote.
“They’re mommas should be ashamed smh,” penned another user who added that they’ve frequented the salon and were upset to see it allegedly cheated out of payment.
Other commenters said they’ve witnessed similar behavior from customers at nail salons. “Happened to my nail salon too during thanksgiving, two girls running out of the door laughing but we got staff as fast as lighting and caught them,” user Han Tran wrote.
Some TikTok users were shocked by the cost of the nail services. “Honestly. 250 is crazy . What happened to $25 sets ?” a user named Jess wrote.
“For $250 I would’ve walked out as well. But not with a full set done,” Katerine wrote. “I think the robbing was the other way around?” another TikToker named Sarita said.
“Everyone complaining about the prices but forget that inflation is up and these nail techs need to support themselves and family,” user Arianna wrote.
