Man used foil-lined bag to shoplift

  8h ago

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A young man who shoplifted five bottles of spirits was in a “low place” after being kicked out of the family home, a court heard.

Alan Tsang (24) was fined €100 for the theft from a city centre supermarket.

Refusing to spare the accused a conviction, Judge Bryan Smyth said there was an “element of planning” in the use of a foil-lined bag to steal the bottles.

Tsang pleaded guilty to theft when he appeared in Dublin District Court.

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A garda said Tsang went to Dunnes Stores on Henry Street on February 7 and took five bottles of spirits worth €179. He put them in a foil-lined bag and left the shop without paying.

He was stopped by security and the goods were recovered. The accused had two previous convictions.

Tsang had been out of the family home following a row and was staying in a homeless hostel at the time, his solicitor Andrew Broderick said.

He was in a really low place mentally and made a “very poor choice” when he took the goods. Tsang was regretful and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He had worked in a warehouse and was hoping to get another similar job.