Munnings Funeral Service has been in operation since 2019, and his business on Albert Street- just down from our studio - had been relatively safe, up until today when a robber rushed in and held up his sickly mother at gunpoint.
While his mother was unharmed, the gunman got away with all the cash in the establishment. However, Munnings said this crime is much deeper for him than just a robbery.
Courtney Menzies spoke with him today and has this story.
Andrew Munnings opened the doors of his funeral service on Albert Street in June 2022. Two years later, for the first time, the establishment was robbed.
Surveillance footage shows that it was almost 3 in the afternoon when a man in black walked his bike up Albert Street, before setting it down on the sidewalk and entering the business.
Two minutes later, he comes out, grabs his bike and rides away. He doesn't get far before he tries to rob again, grabbing a man's backpack. The man is able to pull his bag away, and the thief escapes.
At the time of the robbery, Munnings was working, but rushed in to take care of his mother - who was inside the officer. She had entered a state of panic.
Andrew Munnings, Owner, Munnings Funeral Services
"I was actually live-streaming a funeral just now. I got the call from one of the neighbors that my mom was having a panic attack but in my mind, I actually thought that her sickness had gotten the best of her and she probably was overwhelmed at work and everything, until I heard that she got held up at gunpoint within the office."
"Even up to this point, I am still trying to get a clear view of what happened. She's still really down, not able to talk as much so that is the… what went was not as important as what she is feeling at the moment."
And Munnings said the gunman stole all the cash they had taken out for the weekend, which is not something they usually do.
Andrew Munnings, Owner, Munnings Funeral Services
"We don't keep cash in our office but on days like this when you are going into the weekend, you have to pay your actual staff and everything, you have to take care of people that does stuff for you, and you have to secure yourself going into the weekend, we actually have a busy weekend coming so it was necessary for us to keep something, for us to progress through this weekend smoothly."
"It's absolutely crazy because we've never, we've been here going for three years, we've never been through anything like this and just a month ago I was actually planning to come out of the business, I was actually planning to go into something else and move away but this right here, it's like a motivation to let you know that you either push forward with God's plan of you'll stick in it and really say, you know what, I won't let anything hinder my goal but when your family is involved it is a different feeling. When your mom is involved, it is a crazy feeling."
And he says he believes this crime was committed out of jealously. Now, more than money, he told us that it's his trust that has been stolen:
Andrew Munnings, Owner, Munnings Funeral Services
"I am well known and everything, I'm always posting fool and even days when I don't feel good, I still post fool because I know it makes other people happy but people don't understand that some days you're really at your lowest but you still have to give your best and with the funerals that we have this weekend, we still have to find a way to make them happen so what was stolen, it's not a loss, I think the biggest lost is our courage to really move forward and everything because I always post on Facebook that we have a sickness that we are jealous of each other, we bring down each other, and I don't get it."
"The only thing that was stolen here today was our trust in our community."
And after the thief rode off, it took Munnings only 8 minutes to get to the business. At that time, the police still hadn't arrived, but two patrol unit son motorcycle passed by on Albert Street at about 2:53 and 3:03 respectively - clueless about the robbery.
A minute after the second patrol, the police truck pulls up, has a conversation with Munnings, and drives off. At the same time, officers are walking on the other side of the street.
At 3:05, those officers enter the business - 15 minutes after the crime happened.
According to Munnings, their numerous calls were in vain since the emergency line wasn't working.
Andrew Munnings, Owner, Munnings Funeral Services
"The reason why we actually didn't look into any cameras or anything was because we are actually a part of a WhatsApp group where the police are readily always in this area they are literally knocking on your door, checking to see if everything is good so for the past years, everything was so smooth in the area but today, I don't know what happened, we were calling, at least five of us were calling 911 and nothing. They actually reached out to me and they told me that the 911 line was down so I'm not expecting anybody to be a hero, but we just have to see how we move forward from here."
And Munnings explained that the police told him that this isn't the gunman's first crime. Reports are that he also robbed Wesley Church's office across the street on Tuesday. However, when someone from the church went to report the crime - with video - she was told that the cops couldn't do anything about it because the suspect is mentally ill. Again, this is his report to us.
We will keep following this story.
