The owner of a business in St. John's where a dead body was found Friday morning said the St. John's man died while breaking into the west end store.

"He couldn't get in. He got wedged in the window," said Bob Bassett, owner of the Guinness Store.

"I'm speculating but, to me it looks like he was standing on a bicycle and the bicycle gave away, and then he couldn't get in or back out."

Bassett, who sells beer kegs and Guinness branded products from the Blackmarsh Road building, said break-ins and vandalism are common at many businesses in the Blackmarsh Road area.

"It's unfortunate. He paid the ultimate price for just trinkets, basically," he said. "To be honest, I wish the guy had gotten in."

Police said they were called to the scene after a witness saw the man's body Friday morning.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said it is continuing to investigate what happened to the 26-year-old man.