Offaly woman barred from all Dunnes Stores in Ireland
The entrance to Dunne Stores in the Kyle Shopping Centre, Portlaoise
A WOMAN who threw away €800 worth of goods that she had forgotten to pay for was barred from entering Dunne Stores shops anywhere in the state when she came before last week’s sitting of Portlaoise District Court.
Tatiana Ciobanu from 6 Park Rise, Birr, Offaly pleaded guilty to theft on 25 October at Dunne Stores, Kyle Shopping Centre, Kylekiproe, Portlaoise.
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said that on the day the 38-year-old defendant took €800 worth of bed linen, pillow, duvets and homeware, left the store at 5pm on the day, got into her car and drove off without paying for the goods.
He said the incident was captured on CCTV, Ms Ciobanu was identified, but the goods were not recovered.
Defending solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said that her client works part-time as a barista in a coffee shop.
She said: “Ms Ciobanu had money for the goods on the day. She got a call when she was in the store from her son who has asthma. She was down the road when she realised, she hadn’t paid for the goods and panicked. She’s prepared to compensate Dunne Stores.” Judge Susan Fay asked what had happened to the money that Ms Ciobanu had on the day to pay for the goods, to which Ms Fitzpatrick replied: “The money she had that day was spent on home heating oil. She’s being evicted as the house is being sold.” “Why didn’t see return the products,” asked Judge Fay?
Replying Ms Fitzpatrick said: “She panicked and threw them out.” Sgt. Kirby said: “There’s a similar matter under investigation in Dunnes Stores in another part of the country. There was a professional element to this.” Ms Fitzpatrick said that her client had no previous convictions and indicated her willingness to fully compensate Dunne Stores.
Judge Fay remanded Ms Ciobanu on her own bail to 20 April and asked that an assessment be undertaken to determine her suitability to take part in community service and issued “an exclusion order from all Dunne Stores outlets in the state.”
