Criminal damage charges brought against man charged with using hammer and chisel to break into lockers at hostel and hotel in Cork

Criminal damage charges were brought against a Cork man charged with using a hammer and chisel to break into lockers at a hostel and hotel in Cork to steal suitcases and haversacks belonging to tourists.

The accused man had been charged in May with four counts of burglary. Now at Cork District Court, Detective Sergeant Kieran O’Sullivan charged 40-year-old Michael O’Keeffe with two new charges. Both are counts of causing criminal damage to locks – one between March 24 and 25, and the other on March 25.

Michael O’Keefe secured bail on the burglary charges and he was remanded on continuing bail on those counts now, together with the additional criminal damage charges. 

One of the bail conditions on Michael O’Keeffe of 57 Mount Farran, Cork, requires him to abide by a curfew to be at home between 10pm and 6am each night.

Judge Olann Kelleher adjourned the case until November 13, on the application of Sergeant Gearóid Davis to allow time for preparation and service of a book of evidence.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis previously outlined the allegations in respect of four separate burglaries at the Glenvera hotel and Sheila’s hostel: “On June 24 2022, two were men captured on CCTV entering Glenvera Hotel, going upstairs and entering a room where they removed clothing and rucksack containing €2,400.

“On March 23 there were three more counts of burglary.

“A man was seen entering Sheila’s hotel and making his way to the luggage area and using a hammer and chisel to break the lock off a locker and taking a suitcase and contents. The clothing and personal items to the value of €2,000. That was just after 9pm.

“The man re-enters the same property at 10.30pm and again using a hammer and chisel he removed the lock and took the contents of locker – a backpack and suitcase. The suitcase was recovered but €1,100 American dollars were stolen from it.

“Before midnight he comes back to the luggage storage and using the same method he broke into a locker and stole a laptop computer and two sets of wireless headphones.” 

When the allegations were first outlined, Judge John King refused jurisdiction and commented that the victims were tourists visiting Cork who were a long way from home.