A teenager has been jailed for two years for a “fishing”- style burglary of a garda’s house, during which a patrol car was stolen.
Noel Saunders (19) and his accomplice gained entry to the house by putting a fishing rod through the letter-box and lifting the keys from the hall table. They then stole the two cars out front, one of which was an unmarked patrol car, as well as a handbag containing €600.
The patrol car belonged to a member of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and was later recovered while the other car was sold on and is still missing. The handbag was found nearby with €400 missing.
Saunders, Jobstown, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to trespass and theft on February 4th, 2012. He has 17 previous convictions and is facing several more burglary charges in Kildare.
Det Garda Pádraig Jennings told Maurice Coffey, prosecuting, that Saunders was caught soon afterwards following another burglary and admitted his role. Conor Devally SC, defending, said Saunders was on a cocktail of drugs at the time.
Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed two years detention and backdated it to last January when Saunders went into custody.