Donegal babysitter thief cracked two safes to take 8,000 euros
A babysitter cracked two safes belonging to her employers and stole a total of 8,000 euros (£6,844), a court in Donegal has heard.
Marian Rodgers, 25, was working for a family in Letterkenny at the time.
She owed money on a car loan which she could not pay and began to steal from the safe of her new employer.
A police officer said he investigated claims that amounts between 400 (£342) and 2,500 euros (£2,138) were taken between August 2011 and March 2012.
He told the court on Monday that when money went missing from the safe, it had been replaced with a new safe. However, Rodgers managed to break into that one too.
He said he later saw the accused in the Oldtown area of Letterkenny and arrested her.
Her car was searched and 11 used AIB banking bags and 394.45 euros (£337) were found.
Her solicitor said the sum had now been repaid in full and she was fully co-operative at all times.
He said she had moved from Annagry moved to Letterkenny five years ago to work in the insurance business and secured a car loan at that time.
Within a year she had lost her job and ended up in a "financial mess" and turned to money-lenders in an effort to keep her car. It was while in a "desperate state" that she took the money.
The judge convicted Rodgers on one count of theft, fining her 500 euros.