‘No one stupid enough’ to employ post office thief

AN unemployed man, who stole more than €13,000 from An Post and customer accounts at Belturbet Post Office, is repaying the stolen money back in instalments of €50 per week.

“It’ll take up to Christmas at that rate,” an exasperated Sergeant Damien Galligan said as the fact that the defendant is not working was discussed at Cavan District Court recently.

“No one would be stupid enough to employ him,” Judge Raymond Finnegan said when he heard that Ibrahim Malik, who has an address of Lissnagiril, Killinkere, stole €13,400 from customers’ accounts “over a number of days” in 2024.

At the time of the offences, Malik was aged just 18 years.

Malik, who turned 20 on February 12, has been charged with five counts of theft and one of making a false instrument at An Post, Holborn Hill, Belturbet, between September and November 2024.

He has pleaded guilty to all charges against him including stealing €1,400 from Teresa and Peter Declan O’Halloran at An Post, Belturbet on September 16, 2024 and making a false withdrawal receipt to the account of Teresa and Declan O’Halloran on the same date.

Ibrahim Malik has also pleaded guilty to stealing €3,000, the property of Sheila Rowan, at Belturbet Post Office on October 21, 2024.

And he pleaded guilty to the theft of €9,000 the following month by stealing three amounts of €3,000 each from An Post on November 4, 5 and 6, 2024.

The matters were before Judge Raymond Finnegan at the district court sitting of February 26 for a victim impact statement and probation report on Malik.

Sgt Galligan said gardaí had received a handwritten statement from one of Malik’s victims who has been compensated for his loss.

He told the judge that Malik has no previous convictions, and that the teenager was working in Belturbet Post Office and used his staff ID to gain access to the accounts and money.

“Oh, that’s not good,” Judge Finnegan remarked.

Sgt Galligan said Ibrahim Malik is in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance because he is not working. To date, he has repaid €3,700 of the total stolen, the sergeant told the judge.

When Judge Finnegan said he would put the matter back until the balance is cleared, Sgt Galligan complained:

“If he’s paying €50 per week, it’ll take up to Christmas at that rate.”

“Well, I heard today they need 100,000 workers on building sites in Ireland so maybe, he could find work there,” the judge suggested.

Remanding Ibrahim Malik on continuing bail until July 26 for full payment of compensation, Judge Finnegan told Malik:

“Mr Malik you do whatever you have to do or you’re in real danger of going to prison.”