Two men have been charged in connection with a shoplifting spree across north Cork, during which they allegedly stole thousands of euro-worth of goods including alcohol, power tools and electrical goods.
Frantisek Cureja (27) and Patrick Mate (29) were each charged with six theft offences at Lidl supermarkets in Mallow, Fermoy and Kanturk and at a Tesco supermarket and a Dairygold store in Mallow between last December 1st and December 31st.
The two men, both Czech nationals with an address at Ballycoskery, Ballyhea, Charleville, Co Cork, were charged with a seventh offence of handling stolen property at their rented house on January 6th, 2026.
Judge Miriam Walsh remanded the men in custody when they appeared before her at Mallow District Court on Wednesday.
Det Garda Gary Costello, of Charleville Garda station, told Judge Walsh neither man made any reply to the seven charges when they were put to them after their arrest and caution.
He said gardaí were objecting to bail for the men because of the seriousness of the charges, the likely sentence on conviction and the fear they would commit further offences and abscond if granted bail.
Det Garda Costello said gardaí will allege that both men were caught on CCTV at each of the five premises, collecting goods in shopping trolleys and making no attempt to pay for them before exiting.
He said gardaí would allege the footage clearly showed the two collecting a diverse range of items, including alcohol, power tools, bedding and electrical devices, and driving off with them in a car fitted with false plates.
He said gardaí would allege that they found many of the stolen items at the men’s Ballycoskery rented house and discovered the car with the false plates there.
He said gardaí were concerned both men would commit further offences if granted bail as neither has secured a PPS number and cannot work in Ireland. “They are currently not working, and their method of earning a living is through theft,” he said.
He said gardaí had serious concerns both men would flee the jurisdiction as they only arrived in Ireland on November 17th and had no ties to the State. Both men stated at interview that it was their intention to return to the Czech Republic.
“We believe that they will both leave the jurisdiction and avoid a court case if they are granted bail. We believe they are a flight risk,” Det Garda Costello said.
Cross-examined by defence solicitor David O’Meara, Det Garda Costello agreed the men co-operated at interview, making admissions as to their participation in the various crimes. He agreed gardaí recovered a large proportion of the stolen items.
Both men took the stand from where, assisted by a Czech interpreter, they told Judge Walsh they were willing to surrender their passports to gardaí and to remain in the jurisdiction for the court case.
Cross-examined by Garda Insp Mary Skehan, both men agreed they came to Ireland in mid-November to look for work. They said they had been living on their savings but now had no means of supporting themselves as they had not secured PPS numbers and could not work.
Judge Walsh said she had grave concerns given the seriousness of the charges and the strength of the evidence. Most significant was that the men were a flight risk, she said, as she refused bail.
She remanded them in custody to appear again at Mallow District Court on January 13th.