Bizzare attempted theft of pizza oven in Buncrana - Donegal News

A HOMELESS man with a former address in Buncrana appeared by videolink from Castlerea, at a sitting of Letterkenny District Court on Monday, May 25. Damien McDaid (53) was remanded in custody as he had no bail address. The court heard that McDaid was destitute, either sleeping by the river or sleeping in a car. […]

A HOMELESS man with a former address in Buncrana appeared by videolink from Castlerea, at a sitting of Letterkenny District Court on Monday, May 25.

Damien McDaid (53) was remanded in custody as he had no bail address. The court heard that McDaid was destitute, either sleeping by the river or sleeping in a car.

On May 12, 2026, he took cigarettes worth €19.50, and on May 14, 2026, he took petrol worth €60 from Gill’s Filling Station on Railway Road in Buncrana, claiming a relative would later pay the service station for the goods.

On May 16, 2026, he was stopped in Buncrana for driving with no insurance, which he admitted.

On May 23, 2026, at Supervalu Supermarket, Cockhill Road, Buncrana he engaged in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour. The behaviour arose when he was clearly seen attempting to steal a pizza oven worth €149 at 7.58am on a Saturday from Supervalu.

Defending solicitor, Mr Frank Dorrian, said given McDaid’s situation it was “inevitable that he had no insurance.” He added that there was a “degree of absurdity,” in a homeless person trying to steal a pizza oven. “The item was so large that staff could not but notice.”

Mr Dorrian said that his client had been in a downward spiral of emotional ill health, engaging in petty and ridiculous offences.

The court hard from Mr Dorrian that he would normally agree for his client to do community service, but in this case his client would remain in custody six to eight weeks before it would be oraganised.

He added that “instability would not let him do community service.”

Judge Emile Daly put the case back until June 3 in order for the probation service to determine if community service was suitable and for McDaid to work on obtaining a bail address.

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