London, Ont. business owner speaks out after security cameras capture suspicious behaviour

A London business owner said some strange behaviour caught on video has made him nervous.

Joe O’Neil operates his family funeral home at King and William streets in London’s downtown core, and his business is a frequent victim theft and property damage.

Over the past few weeks that hasn’t changed. Yet one incident, where no crime was committed, has left him shaking his head.

Early in the morning of July 29, a security camera picked up two men walking up a sidewalk towards the entrance of his funeral home.

A short time later a second camera shows an image of one of the men approaching the front steps.

“One guys stays out of view, and the other guy comes up with his sweatshirt,” O’Neil explained. “And the first guy looks like he’s giving instructions to the second guy.”

The man on camera adjusts the sweatshirt at the foot of the front door, then briefly adjusts a flyer in a door handle before stepping away and rejoining the second man.

O’Neil has his suspicions of what happened. He is worried the incident was an attempt to ‘mark’ his property, and theorized the men were looking to determine if any employees would visit over the weekend.

His concern comes just two weeks after an inexpensive lock was found hanging on another nearby family property following a break in.

“And the police said that sometimes thieves will put a lock or a marker and they’ll see if somebody moves it, and if nobody moves it or cuts the lock, then they know nobody is home and it is safe to break in,” O’Neil explained.

CTV News London contacted London police to ask if a pattern was developing across the city. An officer stated police were not aware of the tactic.

Still, O’Neil is not convinced. He cited a previous attempt to break in the front door of his funeral home two weeks ago.

He also pointed to what happened following the incident caught on camera.

Around 8:30 a.m. that Saturday, he moved the sweater from his front door to the street. An hour later a man, similar in build to one of the men caught on camera earlier in the day, was seen crossing the street to grab it.

While there are many possible reasons the men appeared on his step, O’Neil is certain he dodged a potential break in by being alert.

He encourages other to do the same.

“Don’t assume it’s harmless. Don’t assume it’s malicious, but don’t ignore it do something right away,” he said.

Still, O’Neil wondered why anyone would want to get inside a funeral home.

“What are you going to break into a funeral home for? What are you going to steal? The only valuables we have are caskets. What are you going to do, walk down the street with it? Uh, you might stand out!” he said.