Alleged high-vis thief targeted mosque, hostel, and home for elderly, court hears

Tom Tuite

An alleged burglar wearing a "high vis" top has been accused of thefts from a mosque, youth hostel and sheltered housing for elderly people in Dublin.

Jonathan Dunne, 36, of Hardwick Street, Dublin, was refused bail.

He is charged with burglaries on March 26th at a hostel on Mountjoy Street and a sheltered housing building on Wellington Street the following day. It is alleged that he stole around €1,000 from a charity collection box at the Hardwick Street mosque on July 13th last year.

At Dublin District Court, Garda Darragh O'Connor objected to his bail, citing the seriousness of the case.

He alleged the accused and an accomplice stole two e-bikes from the hostel. He further stated that an elderly resident disturbed the accused, who was in an office, during the alleged burglary on Wellington Street.

Garda O'Connor maintained that Dunne left one of the e-bicycles stolen a day earlier at the scene, but took another from that location.

Judge Ciaran Liddy was told that gardaí had obtained CCTV footage showing the accused wearing a high-vis bib and with his face uncovered.

The defence submitted that the electric bicycles could be recovered. Dunne's solicitor said that his mother and partner came to court and that he was involved in his children's lives and wished to seek medical assistance. Dunne has yet to enter a plea.

He was remanded in custody to appear again later this week. Legal aid was granted.

Garda O'Connor said he expected the case would be sent to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers. Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions must be obtained.