A farmer, a cyclist, and a stolen coat: West Cork springs into action to catch thief

It’s a story that mixes Flann O’Brien and Liam Neeson’s role in Taken — how a farmer harnessed the power of social media and the West Cork bush telegraph to get his stolen coat back from a cycling Dutchman, and all within 24 hours.

Jolle Sietsma, a 44-year-old with an address at Filurskiweq, Bergen, in the Netherlands, pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to stealing a coat last Tuesday night from a West Cork farmer in a Clonakilty bar —little knowing the lengths he would go to, to get it back.

The court heard that after taking the coat from O’Donovan’s Hotel in Clonakilty, CCTV footage was downloaded by staff showing the incident and Mr Sietsma, who had been cycling around West Cork with a friend, wearing the jacket. Yet that was only part of the story.