Two Dublin men who stole 600 pairs of runners from a Docklands trailer last year confessed that they had spent the more than €27,500 made from the shoes on boozing and gambling at the Galway Races.
Fred Turner (43 ) of Broombridge Road, Cabra West and Keith Russell (35 ) Drumcliffe Road, Cabra told the gardai that there was nothing left of the profit they made from illegally selling 580 pairs of stolen Lacoste runners, because they had spent all the money during the Races.
The men, who appeared before Dublin Circuit Court on Thursday, were caught on CCTV footage backing a trailer into the Docklands in July 2007, where they proceeded to steal 600 pairs of runners from another trailer. The men sold the shoes 50-50, at a profit of €35 a pair.
When he was arrested Mr Russell told Detective Garda Wayne Kelly that he had gambled and drunk away the €15,000 he made from his portion of the sales at that year’s Galway Races.
No money was recovered from either man, who are both now unemployed, although 20 pairs of runners were seized.
