Two Latvians who between them went on a thieving spree in Roscommon, Galway, and Mayo, were before Ballina District Court on Tuesday following a break-in to a hairdresser’s in Ballina last month.
Inspector Joe McKenna outlined that on February 25 at 2.40pm it was reported to gardaí that there was a break-in in Lauranne’s Hairdressers, Diamond’s Car Park, Ballina.
Vadims Protasove, Apartment 2 House, Droim Na Coille, Nenagh, and a co-accused Gvido Hincenbegs, Apartment 1, Block 5, Droim na Coille, Nenagh, were stopped by gardaí in Galway later that day where they were found in possession of a cheque book belonging to the owner of the hairdresser’s, a bag of coins, and breaking-in implements.
Protasove, a 26-year-old married father of two, admitted his involvement as did Hincenbegs, a 35-year-old divorced father of two.
Protasove, who has only arrived in Ireland since February 11 has already been sentenced to 19 months in prison at Galway District Court last week for theft.
Hincenbegs was also sentenced at the same court to 14 months in jail last week and there are further theft charges against him from a vet’s, hairdresser’s, and Brothers of Charity in Roscommon. This defendant was remanded in custody to appear before Roscommon District Court on March 16.
Judge Mary Devins asked if the men, who became acquaintances in Italy, came to Ireland as “it was a soft touch” as they went for “soft targets” such as priests and hairdressers.
The judge said that it would be better if the men left the country entirely and “save us some money”, however the sentences in Galway were already imposed and Judge Devins struck out the theft charges from Mayo.
