Tesla captures handbag thief in Laois

A Tesla’s cameras captured images of a thief who stole from a car at a popular Laois amenity. 

John Collins, 39, with an address at Roseville Lodge, George’s Street, Louth admitted to criminal damage and stealing a handbag from a car at Emo Court in Laois on January 8 last. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said a woman had gone for a walk at Emo and returned to find her rear driver's side window shattered and a black handbag stolen. The handbag contained a passport, wallet and Samsung phone.  

Sgt Kirby said none of the items were recovered and that they were valued at €200. He said a further €200 worth of damage was caused to the car. 

“That lady was very upset about what happened,” Sgt Kirby told the court. 

He said the defendant was also accused of driving without insurance or a licence in Portarlington on January 24 last. Sgt Kirby said the man had 133 previous convictions and was now serving a prison sentence. He was due for release in May this year.  

Judge Andrew Cody said the woman had parked her car beside an electric Tesla car. 

“That had six cameras that recorded everything,” he noted.

Aine Rushe BL said her client was “very remorseful and apologetic” and would have had addiction issues. She said he was pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity. 

Judge Cody said he would have to take account of the man’s “ongoing litany of convictions” when sentencing. He sentenced him to three months for theft, three months for criminal damage with the sentences to commence on expiry of the prison sentence the man is serving.

He then sentenced the man to a further two months on for having no insurance and two months concurrent for having no licence. Those sentences were to begin when the three month sentences end, meaning the man was given a total of five months for all of the offences. Judge Cody fixed recognisance in case of appeal.