SAN ANTONIO — The owners of a hair salon on the west side are devastated after a big part of their salon went missing. Their 250-pound, seven-and-a-half foot tall Buddha statue vanished off the front porch Wednesday night, and now the owners are asking for the public's help in bringing it back home.
JD Ramirez-Garcia says that most people in the neighborhood know what happened.
"People were very surprised and sad about it," he explained. "They just couldn't believe it."
JD owns JD's and Victor's Hair Salon. He knows that there's something about a hair salon that gets people to talk but he's not used to being the subject of the neighborhood chatter.
When JD discovered his massive Buddha statue had been taken from the front porch of his studio, which doubles as a home for he and his husband, he was shocked.
"He came in yelling, 'The Buddha's gone! The Buddha's gone!'" recalled Victor, JD's husband.
That frantic wakeup call happened around 7 a.m. Wednesday, but the pair speculate that the statue had been stolen hours earlier, around midnight. Meanwhile, how the massive Buddha was taken is a mystery.
"The gate was locked," explained Victor, referring to the residence's four-foot chain link fence. "It's a busy street, so I'm sure someone saw something with a big ol' Buddha in a truck driving down the street."
It's not just the owners who miss the big friendly face. JD and Victor had originally kept the statue indoors but decided to put it outside for the public to enjoy a few years ago.
"Clients and customers love it," Victor said. "They'll come by, take a picture with it, rub the belly, and get some good luck."
Now, the pair is asking those people for help. In the statue's absence, they've put up a sign, reading "Pleas return my budda."
"I just wish, if you see my Buddha, if you hear anything, see a photo, give me a call. I'll give you a free haircut, color, highlights, I'll work with you," JD said.
If the Buddha is returned, the two have decided to take the high road. They're hoping it will lead to some good karma.
"Don't worry about us pressing charges," Victor said. "If it was a game, if this is something you wanted to do for fun, let us know where it's at. We'll pick it up and we'll leave it at that."
JD and Victor ask that anyone with information call SAPD's non-emergency number at 210-207-SAPD.