criminals. translator: you have to see it to believe. we re not going to be able to have long hair anymore. as a woman this is something dramatic. reporter: authorities have cently noticed an increase in the number of attacks with women. the common denominator, all of the victims had long hair. translator: it s happening downtown at the beach or the mall where you find a lot of young women. the thieves grab them, and cut it. they sell it at beauty or hair salons. reporter: they call them piranhas. it s a crime of opportunity. they are fast and seem to have very little compassion for their victims. it s also happening in neighboring colombia. luna says the time she real estated what had happened to her the thieves fled and a chunk of