A man who stole perfume for his girlfriend because he wanted her to have something nice, has been convicted and fined for theft.
On July 21, 2010 at 10.20am he went into Mullingar Pharmacy and looked around for 20 minutes, telling staff he didn’t need any help.
After hovering around the perfume section, he stole three tester bottles of perfume worth €70 each and put them into his briefcase.
They weren’t recovered, but Artur Hauf, Ard na Locha, Moate admitted the theft after he was seen on CCTV.
He has five previous convictions, including one for theft, but has been in no difficulty since the offence more than a year ago.
Hauf was unable to tell the judge why he chose those particular bottles of perfume, but said he wanted to get something nice for his partner and didn’t have enough money.
A Polish man who has been in Ireland for 10 years, but out of work for the last three, he just took all of the bottles that were open on the display shelf.
There had been family difficulties at the time, the court heard, but he is trying now to start up a mechanics business in Athlone and has signed a lease on a premises.
The father of four was convicted, and ordered to pay a fine of €150.
