Man charged with 12 offences after allegedly stealing whiskey from Dunnes Stores
The Wicklow PeopleA man has been charged with 12 offences after gardaí allegedly uncovered stolen goods, and forged documents during a search linked to suspected retail thefts across the country.
On Wednesday, August 19, gardaí received a report from Dunnes Stores in Newtownmountkennedy that a man had entered the store and left before paying for €800 worth of Hennessy whiskey.
He is reported to have returned again on Saturday, allegedly attempting to steal more items, before security officers called gardaí.
Members from Newtownmountkennedy Garda Station arrived at the scene and arrested the man.
They called for members of a specialist unit to attend the scene. The unit is made up of four gardaí, focused on tackling retail theft as part of an active, results-based approach to policing.
While in Garda custody, members searched the man and discovered a non-Irish driving licence and a debit card.
It is believed that, after searching the bag further, gardaí uncovered a car key. Gardaí located a car belonging to the accused nearby.
During a search of the car, alleged stolen items from other retail stores around the country were discovered, along with a mobile phone.
The man, who is understood to be a Georgian national, was charged with 12 offences and is due before Bray District Court on Wednesday, August 26.
The arrest forms part of ongoing operation’s under Operation Táirge, which is a national An Garda Síochána initiative launched in December 2023 to detect, disrupt, and prevent organized retail crime.