Husband and wife stole valuable perfume from Mayo store
The defendants pleaded guilty at Castlebar District Court.
A husband and wife who stole seven bottles of perfume, worth more than €700, from Shaw's Department Store in Castlebar have each received suspended prison sentences.
Romanian nationals Robert (37) and Violeta (36) Grancia, of 172 Caireal Mór, Headford Road, Galway, pleaded guilty at Castlebar District Court to theft.
Gda Sgt Conor McShane told the court that the defendants and a young girl entered Shaw's shortly after 1pm on May 25, 2025, and concealed several bottles of perfume in a shopping bag before leaving without paying. Security staff confronted the pair outside the store and managed to retrieve the bag containing the stolen items, which were understood to be in resaleable condition.
Robert Grancia has 12 previous convictions, including six for theft, while his wife has five convictions for theft, including one in 2021 for which she received a suspended jail term.
Solicitor Dermot Morahan said his clients have four children and are in receipt of social welfare payments. Both defendants accepted responsibility and expressed remorse.
Judge Sandra Murphy noted the goods were recovered in saleable condition thanks to the prompt actions of the store’s security officer. She expressed concern that the pair had travelled from outside the area to commit the offence.
“This was a joint enterprise, and thefts of this nature are serious,” she said.
The judge jailed both defendants for five months but agreed to suspend the sentences on condition they commit no further offences during the next 12 months.
