The head of security at a Dunnes Stores branch stole £11,000 from the store because of serious debts his wife had with moneylenders, a court has heard.
John O'Toole (40), Moatview Drive, Coolock, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to larceny on July 29th, 2000, from Dunnes Stores at the Swan Centre in Rathmines.
Garda∅ later searched his house and recovered £9,580. Judge Elizabeth Dunne adjourned the case until April 30th, 2002, to give O'Toole a chance to pay back the outstanding amount.
Det Garda Jim Curran said garda∅ were called to the store on July 31st, 2000, because £11,000 was missing from a bank lodgement collected the previous Saturday. O'Toole was arrested the following day.
Det Garda Curran said O'Toole had entered the store at 4.20 a.m. the previous Saturday and deactivated the alarm with his own set of keys. He then unlocked the safe at the customer service desk and took out the keys to the cash office. He deactivated that alarm and took £11,000 out of two bags containing £15,000 each and put the remaining money in a separate lodgment bag.
Det Garda Curran said O'Toole was having marital problems with his wife who sought the assistance of moneylenders behind his back when she was unable to pay back a £2,500 loan.