Police are investigating an early morning break-in at a retail store in Fairview Park Mall.

Waterloo Regional Police were called at approximately 4:20 in the morning. While doing his rounds, a mall security guard saw a man inside the Sunglass Hut, as well as a ladder coming down from the ceiling.

Police spent the morning sorting through sunglasses the would-be thief had piled into at least two garbage bags.

Investigators say the man cut a hole in the roof of the mall and used a ladder to get in, but when the security guard spotted him, he ran off leaving the goods behind.

Media spokesperson for the Waterloo Regional Police Olaf Heinzel says it's an unusual way to break in, but not unheard of locally. "More commonly and more recently we've had incidents where businesses were entered from neighbouring businesses where one business was broken into and maybe they went through the dry wall" says Heinzel.

The mall management isn't commenting, and the Sunglass Hut is closed for now. Officials say it's not the first time the store has been a target.

"The Sunglass Hut here at Fairview was broken into in 2009. At that time, thieves stole $20,000 worth of high-end sunglasses" says Heinzel.

Police continue to investigate, and haven't made any charges.