ASDA in Enniskillen
THREE Lithuanian men who travelled from Antrim to Fermanagh and stole drink from Asda have been jailed.
Gintaras Kudriasovas (33) and Dalius Vanagas (49), both with addresses at Mill Street, Gilford, Co Down, and Egidijus Santaras (24) of Durnish Road, Antrim, pleaded guilty to theft and going equipped for theft, by having a foil lined rucksack and pliers, when the appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court via video link from Maghaberry Prison on Monday.
The trio were observed entering the supermarket on Saturday, November 5 at around 3pm. Santaras and Vanagas went to the alcohol aisle, where they took three bottles of Martell cognac, worth £29 each, and one bottle of Hennessy fine cognac, worth £37, from the shelf. They then went and met Kudriasovas, who was browsing shelves in another aisle.
Kudriasovas was in another aisle, and had the foil lined rucksack with him which he put in a trolley. The other two men came along and put the bottles in the trolley, while Kudriasovas browsed the shelves. Santaras was then seen cutting the security with the pliers and placing them in the rucksack.
Kudriasovas took the rucksack, went and paid for a bottle of soda water, and left without paying for the bottles in the rucksack. He was approached by security and taken back into the store.
A few minutes later Santaras paid for an item and left the store. A few minutes after than, Vanagas also paid for an item and left the shop. Both were then taken back inside by security staff.
When they were arrested and interviewed, Vanagas, who had a criminal record both here and in his home country, admitted it was him on CCTV but denied any part in the theft, stating he didn’t see the tags being cut and that he didn’t see the rucksack.
Santaras, who has a criminal record here but not in Lithuania, told police he had found the pliers on the way to Asda, and said the three men had arranged to go to the store and steal alcohol to “party at the weekend” and would’ve shared the bottles when they left the shop.
Kudriasovas, who had no criminal record, told police he had met Santaras, who he knew, and Vanagas, who he didn’t know, and he agreed to help steal the drink, and had agreed to meet in Lidl car park afterwards. He said he had his rucksack lined with tinfoil for waterproofing so he could put his wet clothes in it after fishing.
Defence barrister Ciaran Roddy said the theft had been a joint enterprise and was a sophisticated pre-meditated act, with the three men travelling to Enniskillen from Co Antrim. He added all four bottles had been recovered and were fit for resale, which was due to the diligent work of Asda security and the police.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said he was satisfied the custody threshold had been reached, but said he would give the men credit for their guilty pleas. He sentenced Kudriasovas to two months in prison. He sentenced Santaras to two months in prison, and activated a suspended two month suspended sentence imposed on him previously. Judge Broderick sentenced Vanagas, who was also in breach of a two-month suspended sentence, to two months, and activated his suspended sentence.
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