Three on trial over cross-border car theft

The three accused, who are all Eastern European nationals, have been charged with handling property stolen in the Republic of Ireland – namely the BMW – as well as an ‘alternative’ charge of possessing criminal property.

The trio are Jevgenij Drozdov, 33, from Devon Road in Wolverhampton, 30-year old Vitalijs Klagiss from Brackenwood Drive in Dublin, and Rolandas Ruokis from Sligo Road in Enniskillen.

Ruokis – who at the time of the alleged offences rented premises which were being used as a garage – faces an additional four counts of handling property stolen in the Republic of Ireland as well as four counts of possessing criminal property.

It is the Crown’s case that the additional charges faced by Ruokis are in connection with various parts of other cars which had been stolen from Dublin and which were found in his garage.

All the cars in question, including the BMW Five Series, were stolen from in and around Dublin between October 2013 and May 2014.

All three men, who appeared at Omagh Crown Court sitting in Belfast, denied the charges against them.

A fourth man who was also initially charged with handling stolen property and possessing criminal property – 36-year old Igors Matejevs from Padnall Court in Essex – admitted a charge of allowing himself to be carried in the stolen BMW. He will be sentenced for the offence at the end of the trial of his three co-accused.

Prosecuting barrister Michael McAleer told the jury that the BMW in question was stolen on May 26, 2014 and that details of the stolen vehicle were circulated to officers of both An Garda Siochana and the PSNI.

The day after the BMW was stolen from the Rush area, police officers on both sides of the border suspected that the vehicle would be driven from the Republic into Northern Ireland.

Information was received that the stolen car and a second BMW estate were travelling in convoy from the south, and a PSNI officer parked a police vehicle close to the garage rented by Ruokis.

The stolen car and the second BMW were observed driving to the garage, and when police arrived all four men at the scene were arrested.

It was later confirmed that the BMW Five Series was the vehicle that had been taken the night before from outside a house in Dublin.

The garage was searched, and after various car parts were examined, it was determined that the parts belonged to four other vehicles that had also been stolen from Dublin.

Mr McAleer said that whilst there was nothing to suggest any of the men had been involved in the actual theft of the BMW Five Series, all three accused were guilty of handling the stolen goods and possessing criminal property as they “knew or arranged to receive” the car.