Charities among premises targeted on criminal’s spree

A burglar has been sentenced to twelve months in prison for breaking into seventeen business premises – including three solicitors’ offices – and stealing cash, cameras and laptops in order to feed his gambling addiction.

Chris Eastwood (39), with a former address in Snipe Lawn, Newcastle, smashed in front doors, ransacked offices and stole cash and laptops, which he sold on to unscrupulous buyers in order to get money to feed his gambling addiction.

When Gardai arrested and searched Eastwood, they were amazed at the amount of betting slips he had in his pockets, defence solicitor, Sean Acton, told Galway District Court.

The State withdrew charges for handling the stolen property after Eastwood pleaded guilty to 17 counts of burglary.

Eastwood was already serving a eight-month sentence imposed on him by the court last February for two other break-ins and at this week’s court, Judge Mary Fahy added to that sentence by imposing two consecutive six-month sentences, which are to be served on the termination of the eight-month sentence.

Eastwood pleaded guilty in February to breaking into Hibernian House, Eyre Square, to commit theft on September 1 last year.

He had already received a suspended five-month sentence in November 2014, for breaking into Ross House on Merchant’s Road on October 12, 2014, and stealing a petty cash box.

That sentence was activated in February at the request of the probation service because Eastwood had not complied with the terms of the suspension by engaging with the service.

In relation to the more recent burglaries, committed between July 2015 and February of this year, Inspector Mick Dwyer went through each charge outlining the property stolen and the damage caused during each burglary.

The burglaries took place in offices primarily near the Docks, further along Merchant’s Road, and at Kiltartan House in Forster Street.

Three solicitors’ offices were also broken into and ransacked with mainly laptops and cash being stolen from nearly all of the 17 premises.

A beauty salon, a language school and an accountant’s office were also targeted, but Eastwood also broke into the National Council for the Blind (NCBI) offices at Odeon House in Eyre Square, on October 15 last where he stole six laptops and two machines which are used to assist visually impaired people, along with €500 cash.

Eastwood returned the machines which assist the visually impaired when Gardai explained their importance to the users. He also returned three of the laptops, but the rest of the property and cash was not recovered.

He took three laptops from one solicitor’s office worth €2,400, a quantity of alcohol and some petty cash.

He forced his way into An Post offices in Kiltartan House on August 31 last year and stole four hard drives worth €1,000 each and €200 cash.

He broke into another solicitor’s office one night last July by smashing through the front door, and stole two laptops worth €1,000 each.

Judge Fahy became concerned on hearing of the break-ins at solicitor’s offices due to the sensitive and confidential information they might have stored on their laptops, which, she said, can be so easily stolen.

Mr Acton assured her that solicitors never store confidential client files on laptops for that very reason. Files, he said, are always stored on hard drives and are encrypted.

Insp Dwyer listed several more business premises that were targeted by Eastwood.

He said he broke through doors to get into the Cancer Society shop at Merchant’s Road on February 3 last, but took nothing as there was only clothes in the shop.

Judge Fahy said it was appalling he would break into a charity shop looking to steal money.

Eastwood also broke into the Adult Education Centre on Merchant’s Road on the same night, stealing eleven cameras valued at €5,500 and a €200 laptop, none of which were recovered.

Mr Acton said his client had a troubled upbringing and had been in care in England until he was 13. He went to university in England and worked in management for a supermarket chain for seven years before moving to Ireland eight years ago.

He said Eastwood developed significant mental health issues combined with gambling and alcohol addictions and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in 2008.

Mr Acton said Detective Gerry Carroll, who spearheaded the Garda investigation into the 17 burglaries, would be the first to acknowledge that up to 15 of those burglaries would never have been solved if Eastwood had not owned up to them when questioned about the other two.

“Without his confession he would not be here today and that is the most profound thing I can say in mitigation. The Gardai are very, very satisfied with his level of co-operation,” Mr Acton said.

Judge Fahy said that was all very well but a huge amount of laptops and cash was still missing. She noted he returned the machines for the visually impaired and she wondered why he did not return the rest of the property.

Mr Acton explained his client had two major addictions; alcohol, but more importantly, gambling.

“When he was searched by the Gardai they were amazed at the extraordinary amount of betting slips that were in his pockets.  He sold the stolen property but he is the only one before the court,” the solicitor added, hinting that Eastwood’s accomplice was never caught and neither were those who bought the stolen laptops off him.

As Eastwood had pleaded guilty, the judge said her hands were tied and she could impose no more than a total of 20 months (including the eight months already being served) given that he was entitled to credit for pleading.