'The most ridiculous thing imaginable': Man left luggage stolen from bus at another bus stop

A man who stole luggage from a bus baggage-hold on four separate occasions ended up leaving some of what he had taken at another bus stop.

'The most ridiculous thing imaginable': Man left luggage stolen from bus at another bus stop

A man who stole luggage from a bus baggage-hold on four separate occasions ended up leaving some of what he had taken at another bus stop.

Johannes Jacobs, who previously lived at College View, Cappagh West in Ballyvourney in Co Cork, stole luggage from four different people, three of them tourists, all on the same Tralee-to-Cork bus route.

The 41-year-old South African national, who has been living in Ireland for the past two years, pleaded guilty to all four charges at Bantry District Court.

Sgt Brian Harte told Judge James McNulty that on August 10 last Mr Jacobs was seen on CCTV "loitering" at Tralee bus station, before taking a French woman's rucksack from the luggage hold of a bus. The value of the stolen property in that case was €200.

On the same day, another person travelling to Cork from Tralee put his shoulder bag, which contained a laptop, in the luggage hold and when Mr Jacobs got out in Ballyvourney he took it. The value of the stolen property was €750.

Then, on August 17, a Dutch tourist in Killarney placed a bag including a laptop, with a total value of €800, on the bus and when Mr Jacobs got out in Ballyvourney, he took the bag.

On September 12, a Canadian tourist placed her bag, worth €700, on the bus in Killarney and CCTV was used later to identify Mr Jacobs as the man who took it.

Sgt Harte said that when gardaí searched Mr Jacobs's home the lost property was not found and he did not co-operate. The court heard that the total value of the stolen property was €2450.

Mr Jacobs's solicitor, Ray Hennessy, said his client had been short on funds and had engaged in "daylight robbery, caught on camera". He said Mr Jacobs had been in custody since Wednesday last week and has already offered €500 in compensation, with a guarantee of another €500 to follow.

Mr Jacobs has no previous convictions and Mr Hennessy said his initial lack of cooperation was down to fear and that he "did not handle it well".

Judge McNulty said the crimes were "low, mean and despicable" and were committed against entirely innocent people. He noted that some were tourists and that the incidents would have "thoroughly ruined" their stay.

When he queried where the stolen property had gone, Mr Hennessy said: "You won't believe this - he left it at a bus stop." He added it was "the most ridiculous thing imaginable".

On the first charge from August 10 last Judge McNulty jailed Mr Jacobs for seven days, a sentence deemed to have been served by his period of detention since his arrest.

On the second charge, the Judge sentenced Mr Jacobs to 30 days in prison, citing the need for penalties to include retribution, rehabilitation, restitution and deterrence.

For the offence in which the Dutchman's bag was taken, he sentenced Mr Jacobs to six months in prison but suspended it for two years on a bond to keep the peace, and included a special condition that he provide €2,450 to Gardai to compensate all four victims as soon as possible.

On the last offence, he sentenced Mr Jacobs to six months in prison, also suspended for to years on the same conditions.

Recognisance for an appeal was set at €500, all cash.

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