Teen steals from Garda car park

A teen thief broke into a secure car park at a Garda station and stole items from four privately owned Garda cars along with a stab vest from the station.

At Ennis District Court yesterday, Insp Tom Kennedy said the offences carried out by 19-year-old Dean Mulqueen of Ballycaseymore, Shannon, sparked a review of security at Shannon Garda Station.

One of the cars that had items stolen from it was owned by a Garda Stephen Hallissey who was returning from a call-out relating to a theft committed by Mulqueen in Shannon. Garda Hallissey was returning to the station at 10am on November 1 when he spotted Mulqueen running from the car park; he was wearing the stolen stab vest at the time.

In the case, Mulqueen pleaded guilty to five separate thefts .

Insp Kennedy said the items stolen from the Garda cars included small amounts of cash; a radio cover; a bluetooth receiver and a torch.

The inspector said Mulqueen — who has no previous convictions — has very little memory of what occurred and was under the influence of some intoxicant when arrested at the scene.

Insp Kennedy said most of the property was recovered.

Solicitor for Mulqueen, Stiofán Fitzpatrick, said his client had “a turbulent upbringing”. He said: “From the age of 10 months to the age of 13, he was in foster care in Sixmilebridge and was in a very stable home. Unfortunately, his foster mother passed away quite suddenly and that had its own consequences for Mr Mulqueen and he lived at 15 different placements between the age of 13 and 18.”

Mr Fitzpatrick said that “Mr Mulqueen was very close to his foster mother. I would see him in the village getting messages for her at the shop. It was a very loving environment and the issues started to occur since he was uprooted from this environment and started mixing with the wrong crowd.”

Judge Durcan remanded Mulqueen on continuing detention to appear at Ennis District Court on February 10.