Organised crime gang took part in ram raids
Dublin People 10 Dec 2024
By Niamh O’Donoghue
Three members of a Romanian organised crime gang are to be sentenced in relation to a number of ram raids in the east of the country last year.
The men were arrested three weeks later as part of operation ‘Docht’ targeting an organised criminal group responsible for burglaries and high-value vehicle thefts on July 3 and 4 last year.
In one incident, a “dummy car” was rammed through the front window of a phone shop in Dublin city centre. A Vodafone shop in Newbridge was also targeted earlier that night. Later that night a car was rammed through the gates of a motor dealer on the Naas Road.
The arrests were made as a result of an ongoing intelligence-led operation by the Garda Eastern Region and involving units attached to the Dublin Metropolitan Region, Eastern Region and National Units of Gardai. The court heard all three men were from Romania.
Ricardo Stancu, Daniel Murgea, and Ionut Leonard Petriu appeared in court before a sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stancu (38) of North Circular Road Dublin, and Murgea (31), also of North Circular Road, pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal damage and organised crime offences.
Petriu (19) of Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to assisting the group and his culpability was the lowest of the three, the court heard.
Each of the accused pleaded guilty on their trial date in October this year and further pleas were entered today. Stancu and Murgea are in custody but Petriu is on bail.
Detective Garda Tom McEvoy gave evidence that gardai received a call to attend the 3 Store in Henry Street after a car crashed into its front window. A silver Mercedes described as a “dummy car” was abandoned there and extensive damage was done to the front of the shop. The gang left with nothing because the mobile phones were kept in a safe.
The “dummy car” – a stolen Silver Mercedes – was also used to smash through the front window of the Vodafone Shop at the Whitewater shopping centre in Newbridge just before 2.30am on July3, 2023.
The next day they rammed a car into Leinster Motors in Clondalkin. They used a Citroen C5 there to break through the gates and stole a 5-series BMW at 12.30am on July 4, which was later used for their next robbery as a getaway car.
At around 4am they used the “dummy car” – the stolen silver Mercedes – to ram the front window of the 3 Store on Henry Street. Gardai established the vehicle had been used at Whitewater Shopping Centre on July 3, 2023. Four suspects were ultimately identified from CCTV using a 5-series BMW as a getaway car. Gardai established the car was stolen the same night from Leinster Motors, Clondalkin.
Stancu was not involved in the Leinster Motors incident but was involved in the Henry Street and Whitewater Centre offences.
Det Gda McEvoy told Gareth McCormack the total damage to the 3 Store was €49,459 and there was €1,051 worth of damage to stock but nothing was stolen. A further €7,000 was lost from lack of trading following the incident.
The court heard Murgea has no previous convictions in Ireland but has 13 in Italy and three in France for offences including theft, dealing in stolen goods and criminal association. Stancu has one previous conviction. Petriu has one previous conviction which relates to “paying someone else to do a driving theory test”, the court heard.
The court heard that at the Whitewater Shopping Centre, a silver Mercedes Benz with two occupants wearing gloves approached the front of the shop. There was extensive damage done to the shop and they broke into store with bags in hands and left with the store till. Apart from the till, no other items were taken in the course of that burglary as the phones were in a safe. €16,000 worth of damage was caused in that incident.
A BMW 5 Series was stolen from the car dealership in Clondalkin and over €4,000 worth of damage was caused to the gates of the dealership.
In the incident at Leinster Motors, damage to the front gate amounted to €1753 and there was a further €2700 in damage to the Citroen.
Mr Dean Kelly SC, for Stancu, said his client went back to Romania as a teenager before returning to Ireland, was put in touch with people and was under pressure to take part.
He said his client was a foot soldier who was taking rather than giving orders. He said a significant amount of damage was caused at Henry St and The Whitewater Centre shops plus loss of earnings. Mr Kelly said a “curious feature” was that nothing was stolen as most of the phones were kept in a safe.
Seoirse O Dunlaing SC, for Murgea, said his client had shown remorse. He said his client was a Romanian national who was facing a very substantial time in custody. Mr O Dunlaing said there was evidence he was under the control of other people.
Mr O Dunlaing said his client was working in the kitchen prison where he is on enhanced status since October 2023. He said a letter handed into court made reference to mental health problems and he is on disability benefit in relation to his depression.
Fergal McMorrow BL, for Petriu, said his client has one previous conviction. He said the father-of-three is still working in a well-known respected hotel. He remains in gainful employment and has been promoted to a chef and was described as hard-working, diligent and focused. He came to live in Ireland in 2018 having left Romania 15 years ago.
Judge Orla Crowe Orla Crowe said she would sentence the men on Wednesday.