Men stole hundreds of euro of baby formula from Laois shop

Two men admitted stealing baby formula worth hundreds of euro from a shop and groceries from a second shop in Laois. 

Dafin Rostas (49) and Nedeu Rostas (31) both of 17 North Circular Road, Dublin 7 admitted taking 20 units of Aptamil valued at €329.80 from Mulhall’s Supervalu, Lyster Square, Portlaoise and groceries valued at €329.76 from Lidl, Portlaoise on December 17 last. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the men walked into Supervalu and took the baby milk formula and left the store without paying. They were captured on CCTV and “during a patrol of the area the two males were identified.”  He said both men had no previous convictions and they made admissions when arrested. 

“The goods were recovered and in a resalable condition,” said Sgt Kirby. 

On the same date, the two men went into Lidl and stole shampoo and washing liquid tablets valued at €329.96. The property wasn’t recovered on this occasion, said Sgt Kirby. 

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said the date of the offence is relevant as it was close to Christmas and the men’s “financial circumstances were strained”. He said both men were parents and the elder man was a grandfather of 13. 

Mr Fitzgerald said there was “no pattern of this type of behaviour before” the incident. 

In relation to Mulhall’s, he said, “due to the good detective work the goods were recovered.” 

He acknowledged that the same couldn’t be said for the theft at Lidl.  

Judge Susan Fay ordered a probation services report on each of the two men and certified for a Romanian interpreter . She also requested a community service suitability assessment and adjourned the case back to Portlaoise District Court on June 23.