Thief stole €447 worth of Yankee Candles as ‘a romantic gesture’
By Brendan Grehan
A THIEF who stole Yankee Candles worth over €400 to woo his partner ended up before Tallaght District Court.
Kenneth Malone, aged 35, with an address at Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to stealing candles worth €447 from Home Store and More, Belgard Road, Tallaght, on November 2, 2017.
Yankee Candles
He also pleaded guilty to hit and run - failing to report an occurrence and hit and run - failing to keep a vehicle at the scene at Belgard Road on the above date.
Garda Gearoid O’Brien told the court that on the above date, Malone entered Home Store and More and selected a number of Yankee Candles worth €447.
He said Malone passed all points of payment and left the store.
Malone was followed by a security guard but he got into a Renault Clio and left the scene.
Garda O’Brien said that as Malone drove away, he crashed into another car but failed to stop.
Judge Patricia McNamara heard that Malone had 20 previous convictions but he had not been in trouble for six years.
Malone’s solicitor, Michael Hennessy, said his client had “panicked”. Mr Hennessy said Malone had taken the candles for his partner as “a romantic gesture” as the scent from the Yankee candles was “overwhelming”.
He said the gesture had completely backfired.
The court heard that the damage to the car came to €1,500 and it had been covered by insurance.
Mr Hennessy said Malone, a father of four, was unemployed and on social welfare. He said Malone had previously worked as a courier, window fitter and a bricklayer.
Judge McNamara adjourned the case to a date in January for a probation report and for sentencing.
