Waiter who stole perfume from Arnotts turned to shoplifting due to rising cost of living

 • 2h ago

A HOTEL waiter who shoplifted perfume and designer clothes was finding it hard to make ends meet because of the rising cost of living, a court has heard.

Octavian Varvari had never been in trouble before and his “moral compass went completely askew” on the day, his defence said. Judge Bryan Smyth said there was “a certain amount of planning” behind the offences but told the accused he will be spared a conviction if he brings €525 to court.

Varvari (26), of Ashfield Lawn, Huntstown, pleaded guilty to theft charges.

Dublin District Court heard that last January 10, he stole €540 worth of perfume from Arnotts Henry Street.

Designer clothes worth €1,500 were found on him after his arrest and he admitted he also stole them.

He had two debit cards belonging to other people and told gardaí he found them on a bus and had tried to use them in the shop. He also had snips that he used to cut security tags from the clothes.

Varvari, from Romania, had no previous convictions.

He was working in hospitality and doing quite well but “he found the cost of living difficult and it was more and more stressful trying to make ends meet”, his solicitor Philip Hannon said.

He had no issues with alcohol or drugs and did not know what came over him on the day. Finding the debit cards “sowed the seeds of the idea in his head” to do what he did. 

He realised he had no excuse and was very embarrassed and ashamed. Mr Hannon said what happened was an opportunistic one-off and he asked the court for leniency.