A much-loved Donegal charity for budding little Gardai has received a much-needed cash boost – thanks to a cheeky robbery at a popular antiques shop.
The Little Blue Heroes Foundation is to receive €1,170 after it was discovered on a woman involved in the robbery.
The cash was found on Larisa Craioveanca Curte who was part of a member of a Romanian gang who stole almost €30,000 in cash and jewellery from Mourne Antiques in Letterkenny.
The six-member gang, five women and one man, crowded into Mourne Antiques on Main Street in Letterkenny at around 4pm on January 18th, 2020.
Members of the gang distracted the lone sales assistant while another member accessed a safe at the rear of the popular shop.
Mourne Antiques Letterkenny
A haul stolen during the daring heist included 18 items of jewellery, including six engagement rings, and a wedding ring worth a combined €22,000 as well as approximately €5,000 in cash.
Garda Sergeant Gerard Dalton told Letterkenny District court that an application, under the Police (Property) Act, was being brought as a result of monies that came into the possession of An Garda Siochána in 2020.
Sergeant Dalton said Curte was arrested on suspicion of burglary and was in possession of €1,170, which detectives believed was the proceeds of criminal activity.
Curte was convicted at Letterkenny Circuit Court in May, 2020 and sentenced to three years and nine months with the final nine months suspended.
In passing sentence at the time, Judge John Aylmer ordered that Curte should leave Ireland within four weeks of her release from prison and not return for a period of ten years.
Sergeant Dalton told the court this week that Gardai believe that Curte has since left the country.
Judge Éiteáin Cunningham said she was satisfied that the money was garnered from criminal activity and granted the order with the money to be donated to Little Blue Heroes.
Two members of the gang were jailed at the same court sitting in 2020. Daniel Constantin Mandescu and Vasiliaica Bita were each sentenced to two years and nine months, with the last nine months suspended.
All three had previous convictions for theft in other countries including Germany, Belgium and also Northern Ireland.
