Theft of laptops forces Galway PhD students to repeat the year

 A man who used ‘inside knowledge’ to access the engineering building of NUIG, where he proceeded to steal five laptops belonging to PhD students, was remanded on continuing bail at Galway District Court on Thursday.

 Judge Alan Mitchell told the defendant that no amount of money could compensate the injured parties who were nearing the end of their research at the time – two of the laptops were never recovered and the owners had to defer their doctorate for a year.

“There seems to have been a conspiracy, and you played your part in it,” he said.

Patrick Kwiatkowski (35), with an address at 18 Bayview Rise, Ballybane, pleaded guilty to entering the building as a trespasser on the morning of July 10 last.

The court heard that other individuals, who had helped him access the building, and who took possession of the laptops afterwards, are due before the court.

Inspector Kevin Gately told the court that the defendant entered the engineering building at 7.35am, proceeded to the third floor and entered an office. He placed five laptops, worth €3,900, in a rucksack and left.

“They belonged to students in the final stages of completing their PhD in European Studies – two laptops were not recovered, which resulted in their doctorates having to be abandoned, and they recommenced their studies,” Inspector Gately said.

When staff and students arrived into the building later that morning they made the discovery and CCTV was examined, through which the culprit was identified.

“The building had been locked, a cleaning company had access to it in the morning, which was the weakness in the security system – he became aware of the weakness and got in,” Inspector Gately said.

“He went in on his own and went up to the third floor, specifically where these would be located … He didn’t act alone, he would have had to get information of where to go.”

Judge Mitchell remarked: “Sometimes you’d call that ‘an inside job.’”

Inspector Gately agreed, adding that an employee who had revealed the information was subsequently identified.

Judge Mitchell put the matter back to February 2 for preparation of a probation report, which he said should examine Kwiatkowski’s likelihood of reoffending, his remorse, and his suitability to do community service.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel