Scratch card theft spree accused in court
Accused 'unconcerned about being caught'
Derry Magistrate's Court heard today about a spree of thefts of scratch cards across the North. Before the court were Jonathan Ward (27) of Beraghvale in Derry and Conor Ward (24) with an address in Dale Street in Wolverhampton in England.
Jonathan Ward faced six charges of stealing scratch cards on various dates in September.
Conor Ward was charged with 12 counts of stealing scratch cards on dates in September as well as a charge of possessing cannabis.
A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail.
He told the court that on September 10 a man believed to be Conor Ward entered a shop in Newry and asked for 29 scratch cards.
He placed them in his pocket and said he needed fuel and left without paying.
The court heard that a similar incident occurred in Dungiven on September 19 when a man believed to be Conor Ward entered a shop and left without paying for scratch cards valued at £150.
He was seen on CCTV and left in a Silver Volvo.
A similar incident was said to have occurred on September 20 in a shop in Derry and again the man was identified as Conor Ward.
The court heard that there were other similar incidents with the same modus operandi in various shops across the city.
The man would ask for the scratch cards the claim to have forgotten an item and then leave.
After one incident in Strabane on September 22 customers followed the an and he was seen to get into a Silver Volvo believed to be driven by Jonathan Ward.
In another incident on September 24 the perpetrator was identified as wearing 'a distinctive belt.'
The officer told the court that on September 25 police received a report of three men in a shop that were believed to match the description of the men involved in the thefts.
Police responded and found the Silver Volvo in Beraghvale and a man identified as Conor Ward walking towards a house.
Police arrested three men including the two defendants.
Bail was opposed as the officer said neither man had any links to the Derry community.
He said that the frequency of the offending suggested there could be further offences and added that the 'blatant nature of the offending' seemed to suggest they were 'unconcerned about being caught.'
The officer said they were 'hoping for a big pay off.'
Defence counsel Sean Doherty said that while both men were not from the jurisdiction they had 'extensive family connections' in the city.
He said that they had come to Derry some six weeks ago but had relatives living here.
The two were granted bail with cash sureties of £750, ordered to observe a curfew and wear a tag and reside at an address approved by the PSNI.
They will appear again on October 13.