Authorities in the UK suspect that a habitual criminal, notorious for his unruly string of wrongdoings, is the guilty party behind the recent car theft that sparked an extensive security situation due to the presence of a baby in the stolen vehicle.
The accused, a man in his late 40s from Dublin, has been linked to similar offences in the past where he has opportunistically stolen vehicles left unattended temporarily on streets or in parking lots. Despite this, the police highly suspect that the man was unaware of the infant girl, aged five months, who was in the back seat of the stolen car in Mountjoy Square, north inner city of Dublin, on Monday afternoon.
The vehicle in question, a silver Nissan Qashqai hatchback, was stolen from Mountjoy Square West around 1:50 pm, which triggered an extensive security response. The vehicle, with the child still inside, was later located on North Richmond Street, Dublin 1, just after 4pm by a patrolling police unit, and the child was promptly returned to her parents.
Authorities surmise that the thief, upon realising the child was in the car, quickly abandoned the vehicle on a nearby side street, roughly 600 meters from the location of the theft.
Superintendent Liam Geraghty described the event as an extremely distressing period for the infant’s parents but confirmed they were all safely reunited shortly after 4pm during a press briefing on Monday evening.
The theft occurred shortly after the child’s mother momentarily left the vehicle, prompting police to issue a Child Rescue Ireland (CRI) alert, a protocol meant to generate nationwide awareness in situations where children have been kidnapped or are at substantial risk.
The investigation into Eddie Hutch’s case is progressing, according to information disclosed to the coroner by the gardaí.
In related matters, it was reported that after an emergency CRI alert, a missing infant girl was discovered unharmed on Monday afternoon, albeit the incident sparked a significant criminal investigation due to the serious nature of the circumstances.
The primary suspect was still at large at the time, prompting a comprehensive search operation by the gardaí who have since visited several places in the hope of locating the suspect. It is understood that the man leads a nomadic lifestyle and often does not have a permanent address.
The individual, who at one point lived in a property in the inner city’s northern quarter, has a notorious past of severe substance misuse and has served prison time. His criminal history includes convictions for motor vehicle theft and deceptive practices such as duping individuals in fraudulent car transactions.
Some of his offences were committed on the spur of the moment, while others were strategically planned. He has previously been involved in handling stolen cars and reselling them, causing the victims to incur substantial financial losses. Additionally, he has committed business premises burglaries.