A west-side Las Vegas salon that turns merchandise sales into lifelines for local rescue dogs was broken into early Monday, Jan. 5, and owner Melissa Novelli says thieves walked off with items meant to help shelter pups. The smash-and-grab left shattered glass and damaged doors, but no one was hurt, and staff managed to reopen the shop not long after. Novelli says the stolen goods were tied specifically to Pawtastic Friends, the rescue she helps run.
The break-in at Prism Salon & Spa
Security footage shows two people in hoodies and masks smashing a window and ransacking Prism Salon & Spa, according to 8 News Now. “The alarm went off around 3:30 a.m.,” Novelli told the station, adding that no one was inside the business at the time. She estimated the hit to doors and glass at about $3,000 in damage.
Items taken and who they help
Novelli said the thieves grabbed Pawtastic Friends T-shirts, safety-green beanies and rings, merchandise the salon sells to raise money for shelter dogs. Pawtastic Friends describes itself as a Las Vegas-area nonprofit that runs adoption and enrichment programs, and it held a multi-rescue adoption event earlier this month, according to local coverage by 96.3 KKLZ. Supporters can read more on Pawtastic Friends or in local media reports.
A worrying local pattern
Novelli pointed to a previous smash-and-grab in October near Flamingo and Fort Apache that reportedly cost another nearby shop about $10,000 in stolen inventory, highlighting a string of retail thefts in the area. The earlier incident and the Prism break-in were both detailed in local reporting, and the suspects in the salon case remain at large, according to those accounts. Business owners in the neighborhood say this latest theft felt especially brazen because the proceeds were earmarked for rescue work.
Police ask for tips
The suspects are still on the loose, and detectives are urging anyone with information to speak up. People with tips can contact the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department through its website or by calling the nonemergency line at 702-828-3111; details are listed on the department's site.
How to help Pawtastic Friends
Those who want to support the rescue can help replace stolen merchandise or donate directly through the Pawtastic Friends site, which outlines donation and volunteer options. Novelli says community support helps cover training and adoption events that prepare shelter dogs for their future forever homes.
