by Andrew Carey
AN opportunist thief who stole two valuable specialist cameras during an outdoor photo shoot has avoided a jail term after a judge said he would give the criminal “one chance”.
Austin Grace (26) of the basement apartment, Newenham Street, Limerick pleaded guilty to the theft of two professional cameras from Limerick photographer John McGarry in broad daylight near Pery Square on September 14 last year.
Detective Garda Declan Halloran told Limerick Circuit Court at the sentencing hearing that the professional photographer was conducting a fashion photo shoot at No2. Pery Square, and had his cameras set up on tripod.
Mr McGarry went to instruct the model who was on the doorstep of the building when Grace grabbed the cameras and made off down the street. He tried to sell the cameras, which were valued at in the region of €18,000, for as little as €2,000 when he offered them to a retailer in the city.
The staff member in the camera shop became suspicious and managed to secretly photograph and record the defendant.
Grace also attempted to value the goods two days later at a pawn shop before Gardaí obtained a search warrant and arrested him.
He was also captured on CCTV footage leaving the scene of the theft.
When he was arrested and interviewed, he pleaded guilty to the offences after jurisdiction was refused at the District Court due to the high value of the cameras.
Evidence was offered that Grace was a man “not previously on Garda radar” and he had not come to their attention since.
Stating that the theft could have had catastrophic consequences as the loss of such equipment could seriously impact on the photographer’s businesses, Judge Tom O’Donnell accepted that the cameras were eventually returned to their rightful owner.
He also praised the camera shop staff member who had “the presence of mind to secretly capture the thief on video”
Having regard to all the circumstances he said he would suspend a nine month prison sentence and bound Grace to the peace for two years.
