Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 10574Making a false report and statement to gardaí · Co. Dublin · 17 Dec 2016

Man pleads guilty to false report over claimed theft of Dalkey Mercedes

On 17 December 2016 Donatas Sadauskas, a 40-year-old man, reported to gardaí at Dún Laoghaire station that a Mercedes he did not own, parked on Victoria Road in Dalkey, Co Dublin, had been stolen, and he lodged a €19,500 insurance claim for it. He fled the country after gardaí began investigating and was arrested at an airport in Belgium in February 2024 before being extradited. On 9 March 2026 he pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire court to making a false report and statement to gardaí. Judge Orla Crowe said she would sentence him on Thursday.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted9 Mar
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Donatas Sadauskas, 40, claimed a Mercedes he did not own had been stolen.
  • He tried to claim almost €20,000 for the car's theft.
Where
The Mercedes was parked on Victoria Road in Dalkey, Co Dublin.
When
He made the false report to gardaí on 17 December 2016.
Investigation
  • The car's owner sold it to a UK company in December 2016, before Sadauskas made his report.
  • He lodged an insurance claim for €19,500 with AXA, which fraud investigator Colm Featherstone examined.
  • Gardaí suspect he registered the car in the UK under a fictitious name as part of the scam.
Other details
  • He fled the country in December 2016 after gardaí began investigating.
  • He was arrested at an airport in Belgium in February 2024 and later extradited to Ireland.
  • The car was later burned out in an unrelated incident in a Manchester car park.
Charges
He pleaded guilty to making a false report and statement to gardaí.
In court
  • He entered the plea at Dún Laoghaire court on 9 March 2026.
  • His defence counsel said he had taken a very stupid risk.
Sentence
Judge Orla Crowe said she would sentence him on Thursday.
12 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatSadauskas pleaded guilty to making a false report and statement to gardaí. (rte.ie)
  • whatHe tried to claim almost €20,000 for the theft of a Mercedes he did not own. (rte.ie)
  • whatHe reported the car to gardaí as his own and said it had been stolen. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe Mercedes had been parked on Victoria Road in Dalkey, Co Dublin. (rte.ie)
  • whenHe made the false report to gardaí on 17 December 2016. (rte.ie)
  • investigationHe lodged a claim with AXA insurance for €19,500, which was examined by fraud investigator Colm Featherstone. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí suspect he registered the car in the UK under a fictitious name as part of the scam. (rte.ie)
  • courtHis defence counsel said he had taken a very stupid risk. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Orla Crowe said she would sentence him on Thursday. (rte.ie)
  • otherHe fled the country in December 2016 after gardaí began investigating. (rte.ie)
  • otherHe was arrested at an airport in Belgium in February 2024 and then extradited. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe car was later burned out in an unrelated incident in a Manchester car park. (rte.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 9 Mar2026
    Convictedrte.ie, first report
    Man tried to claim €20k for 'stolen' car that was not his

    Reports that Sadauskas pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire court and that sentencing is due on Thursday. It gives background on the 2016 false report, his flight from Ireland, his extradition from Belgium in 2024 and the insurance claim.

    convicted, Donatas Sadauskas, 40, male, namedDonatas Sadauskas