Suspended sentence for man found with stolen goods from 'professional-style' theft in Waterford
Waterford Courthouse.
A man has been given a suspended sentence for his part in a “professional style” retail theft in Waterford City.
Bogdan Dumitru (26), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to being in possession of stolen property at a sitting of Waterford District Court before Judge Kevin Staunton.
The court was told that on September 20, 2021, gardaí responded to a report from Sports Direct, The Glen, that a number of individuals had entered the store and had stolen items.
A description of the suspects, as well as the make and model of the car, was given to gardaí.
Later, gardaí on patrol found the car and inside was the defendant only and a large number of items for which he had no proof of ownership.
The total value of the items was €1,255, and the court was told that the theft was “professional in style”.
The defendant was arrested but made no admissions.
The court was told that Mr Dumitru, who is from Romania, had no previous convictions and was extradited back to Ireland to deal with the matter.
Acting for the defendant, solicitor Hilary Delahunty said his client has a two-year-old daughter and was living in Ireland at the time.
He was working in Kilkenny, and he became friendly with a man who introduced him to another individual.
That third man paid the defendant €150 to drive him and his group to the store.
The defendant went inside after a while to see where they were, and while he was there, he bought a t-shirt.
Then he got a call to go pick them up, which is where the gardaí caught up to him, the solicitor told the court.
Mr Delahunty asked the judge not to impose a custodial sentence as the man didn’t steal the items and “finds it impossible to comprehend recklessness”.
He said his client has pleaded guilty and that nobody would believe his story.
Judge Staunton imposed a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
