'Walter Mitty' scammer posed as car buyer and stole BMW - and tried to con two other dealerships

A scammer posing as an interested buyer stole a BMW car from a Cork dealership and tried the con two more from another auto trader in Co. Wicklow, a court has heard.

Callum Kearney, 23, who Photoshopped images to imitate screenshots of bank transfer payments for cars with a combined value of almost €164,000, will be sentenced in March.

Kearney, already serving a 27-month sentence for deception offences, pleaded guilty at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to theft and attempted theft.

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Detective Garda Mark O’Riordain from the stolen motor vehicle investigation unit said on November 14, 2023, Kearney called Ashford Motors in Rathnew, Wicklow, looking to buy two BMWs valued at €89,950 and €54,950.

Kearney, from Highfield, Ballincollig, Co. Cork, furnished the dealer with his details and sent phone screenshots to show bank transfers, but the money was not received, and he did not get the cars.

Six days later, he went to CMC Car Sales in Mallow to view a BMW priced at €28,950 and sent a screenshot of the pending payment as he took it for a test drive and failed to return.

The court heard he got fake registration plates on the car, which was later located in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.

Detective Garda O’Riordain went to a house and saw the car parked outside.

The detective agreed with prosecutor Cathal Braonáin BL, instructed by the State solicitor for Westmeath, Matt Shaw, that the accused gave a different name and claimed he had the car for three of four years.

The detective arrested Kearney, who then admitted the crime and that he had a buyer ready to pay €15,000 for part of the engine.

Kearney also owned up to his attempt to take the other two BMWs and revealed he had “a buyer lined up” to pay €50,000 for one of them.

The court heard he learned how to use Photoshop software to make images of bank transfers using the same font and colour as AIB.

In mitigation, the defence said Kearney, who had 41 prior convictions, had “an avid interest in cars” and was not involved in substance abuse.

The court also heard that he had complex needs and, seemed to have been diagnosed with ADHD and autism, and had a difficult upbringing where he witnessed domestic abuse.

The defence described him as a Walter Mitty but stressed that he was willing to attend forensic psychological counselling and wished to become a paramedic.

The judge noted Kearney, who sat silently throughout the hearing, was still deemed at high risk of reoffending as he adjourned finalisation of the case pending updated reports on him.

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