04/04/2008

Pregnant Teen Found Guilty Of Theft

A new Garda crackdown on so-called distraction theft's codenamed 'Operation Hawkeye', has led to the conviction of a girl who stole over €1,000.

The 17-year-old girl, who is pregnant, came to Ireland in January and stole over €1,200 with help of gang of up to 12 members.

On Friday, Gardaí arrested all twelve members of the gang who are said to specialise in distraction thefts whereby ATM users are distracted before having their money stolen using a magazine to hide the thieves slight of hand.

All of the girls crimes were committed over the last three months. Sums of €200 were separately stolen from six women as they made cash withdrawals at bank machines in Dublin city-centre.

The teenager, who is from Romania, pleaded guilty to 13 charges. Half of them related to thefts from people at ATMs.

Judge Patrick McMahon at Dublin Children’s Court described the girl as "a danger to the citizens of this city".

Searches had been carried out at properties in Tallaght and the North Circular Road areas. Eight of the gang originally arrested were released on bail and two people, including the girl, were remanded in custody.

The girl is awaiting sentencing and is presently remanded in Oberstown Girls' Centre.

Gardaí were unable to recover any of the stolen money.

(DW/JM)

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