A trip to a South Charlotte hair salon turned into a criminal case after a customer was accused of stealing cash, merchandise and an employee's belongings, then fighting with a staff member who confronted her before she ran off. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested 35-year-old Ebony Allen on August 8 on larceny and common law robbery allegations tied to the incident at Salons by JC on Providence Road.
According to Charlotte Alerts News, Allen had been at the salon for a hair appointment when her hairdresser stepped away to another room. An employee later noticed items were missing and told police Allen was accused of taking money from the cash register, two Alana Verde purses, an employee's purse, the employee's car keys, and hair weave. The employee called police and confronted Allen, and the outlet reports the two women fought during that confrontation before Allen ran from the business.
How Officers Tracked Down the Suspect
A Salons by JC employee pointed out Allen to responding officers, who located and detained her at a nearby Shell gas station along Providence Road, per the same report. Salons by JC Providence Commons sits at 10614 Providence Road in a South Charlotte commercial corridor near the Piper Glen community, according to Fresha. The business operates on a suite-leasing model, with independent beauty professionals renting private, enclosed suites to run their own hair and cosmetic businesses, according to Salons by JC — which is why cash and personal property tied to the incident were reportedly held in individual stylist rooms rather than one shared register.
Why the Charge Escalated to a Felony
Allen was charged with both larceny and common law robbery. Under North Carolina General Statutes § 14-72, larceny of goods valued at $1,000 or less is generally a Class 1 misdemeanor unless the property is taken directly from the victim's person or involves specific aggravating factors, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. But North Carolina case law holds that a theft escalates to common law robbery when physical force, violence or a struggle occurs during the taking or while a suspect tries to hold onto stolen property, per the Charlotte robbery law firm Plumides Romano & Johnson PC. That statute, § 14-87.1, defines common law robbery as taking personal property by force, violence or fear, and classifies it as a Class G felony, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. A Class G felony conviction can carry up to 47 months in prison along with possible probation and restitution, depending on a defendant's prior record, per the Law Offices of Anna Smith Felts PLLC. The allegations against Allen remain pending and unproven in court.
A Broader Dip in Charlotte Robbery Cases
The salon incident lands amid a broader downward trend in robbery reports across Charlotte. Reported robberies in the city dropped 23% during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's midyear public safety report, with 405 robberies recorded through June 2026 versus 525 a year earlier, per the City of Charlotte. CMPD also reported a 16% reduction in overall crime citywide during the first six months of 2026, including a 17% drop in property crime and an 8% drop in violent crime, with property cases falling from 17,675 in the first half of 2025 to 14,610 in the same period this year. For all of 2025, Charlotte saw a 9% decline in overall crime, with violent crime down 21% and robbery offenses down 24% compared to 2024, a trend the city attributed to increased officer engagement and community partnerships.
