‘Only stupid people steal at big department stores’

Only a stupid person would try to go shoplifting at Debenham’s, Brown Thomas or any of the big department stores in Cork City, a District Court judge said yesterday.

Judge Leo Malone said: “It is my experience from these courts that if you try and steal something from Debenham’s or Brown Thomas or any of the big stores their security systems are very good and it is a stupid person who tries to do it.”

Cases of shoplifting at such outlets come before Cork District Court with great frequency.