Businesses on the Ladysmith waterfront and elsewhere are feeling uneasy after a brazen thief stared right into a security camera this week, then stole the camera.
Security footage at Ladysmith Motorsports shows what appears to be a garden glove-wearing man in a dark hoodie and sunglasses pull up to the rear of the building in a light-coloured sedan at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, approach the camera stationed at the loading bay, and take it.
He then circled around the front of the building in his car, and appeared to eyeball the camera there before deciding it was too high to reach, and left.
Around the same time that same morning, two security cameras were also stolen from the nearby Ladysmith Fishermen's Wharf.
Sarah Asselin said Ladysmith Motorsports spent a nervous night with security on guard, before getting a new camera installed — in a higher location — on Wednesday.
"It was very worrisome because as soon as we heard we thought they'd be coming back," she said. "It makes us nervous because we have so much stuff, whether we were targeted or it just happened."
She said the thief seemed to know what he was doing, given his timing and direct approach, while disguising his appearance and covering the plate of his car.
But the likelihood they were specifically being set up for a future robbery lessened somewhat when they heard about the similar hit at the Fisherman's Wharf, which lost two of its cameras.
"It looks like a guy and a girl in a small compact white car with a sunroof. They drive up to the building, guy in a hoodie and gloves gets out of the car and removes the cameras without showing his face," wharf general manager Ken Bryski posted on Facebook Tuesday. "It happened at 5:30 a.m. this morning. No visible license plate."
He later posted that after reviewing the tape, the car was not actually white, but appeared to be the same as the one in the Motorsports footage, which appeared to be grey or silver.
Asselin wants the word out as much as possible for two reasons: catching this crook, and warning the rest of the community that they could be next.
"For other businesses out there, keep your eyes peeled, and if anyone in the community knows anything, please let us know. We have heard of too much theft going on around town, and every bit of info helps."