‘CRIME OF OPPORTUNITY’ | 

Romanian man demanded cash for return of phone his wife stole in Dublin Lidl

Florin Ciuraru pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property and his wife admitted the theft.

Today at 15:25

A scammer told a theft victim he would have to pay him “bucks” for the return of his mobile phone after the accused’s wife stole it in a supermarket.

Florin Ciuraru answered the phone and demanded money when the victim rang it, a court heard.

His wife Doina Ciuraru had earlier taken the phone when it fell out of the man’s pocket as he shopped.

The accused, both aged 34 and parents of five, from Ayrfield Drive, Dublin 13 were each fined €250 at Dublin District Court.

Florin Ciuraru pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property and his wife admitted the theft.

Garda Colm Maguire told Judge Bryan Smyth the victim had dropped his iPhone from his pocket at Lidl, Moore Street on June 12, 2022.

Doina Ciuraru was nearby and immediately picked it up, making no attempt to hand it back.

The theft was seen on CCTV.

Garda Eoin Morrison said the victim called his phone from a friend’s phone later that day and Florin Ciuraru answered it and asked for “bucks”, or money to return it.

They arranged to meet on Dorset Street in central Dublin and the victim turned up with “other people” – friends and security guards from the area to help him.

“The phone was returned without money being handed over,” Gda Morrison said.

Florin Ciuraru was identified from phone records. His wife replied “I find the phone” when charged.

They had no previous convictions.

“It was a crime of opportunity,” defence barrister Kevin McCrave said. “It was not planned, the situation presented itself.”

The couple came to Ireland from Romania in 2007 and Florin Ciuraru was a cleaner, Mr McCrave said.

The court heard there was a language difficulty for the accused, who had an interpreter in court.

“There’s no language difficulty when it comes to taking somebody’s phone and then trying to scam them out of money to get it back,” Judge Smyth said.