Friday 30 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. 14826Unauthorised taking of a vehicle, burglary, criminal damage, possession of stolen property · Co. Limerick · 20 Jul 2024

Man sentenced over theft of van containing €1m of pharmaceutical products in Limerick city

On the morning of 20 July 2024, a man's delivery van was taken in Limerick city after he left the keys in the ignition while making a delivery in St John's Square. The van held pharmaceutical products worth over €1 million. Gardaí tracked the van 56 minutes later to Marian Avenue in Janesboro, and Jason Curtin, 32, was arrested after being found hiding in a ditch, and gave a false name. Curtin pleaded guilty to unauthorised taking of a vehicle, burglary, criminal damage and possession of stolen property. At sentencing reported on 22 January 2025 at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Daly jailed him for four years with the final year suspended and disqualified him from driving for 10 years.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced22 Jan
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Jason Curtin, aged 32, of Limerick city, took a delivery van whose driver had parked it to make a delivery.
  • The van contained pharmaceutical products worth over €1 million, which one report calls drugs.
  • Curtin drove the van the wrong way down a one-way street and left it at a nearby housing estate.
  • Curtin also broke into a shed and a car at a residential property, taking a high visibility jacket and a cap.
Where
The van was parked in St John's Square in Limerick city when it was taken.
When
The van was taken on the morning of 20 July 2024.
Cause
The driver had left the keys in the ignition while making the delivery.
Investigation
  • A built-in satellite tracker in the van allowed gardaí to locate it 56 minutes later in Marian Avenue, Janesboro.
  • Gardaí found Curtin hiding in a ditch at a house a short time later and arrested him.
Other details
  • Curtin gave gardaí a false name when arrested.
  • The judge said the theft appeared to be opportunistic, and Curtin was in the throes of a heroin addiction at the time.
Charges
Curtin pleaded guilty to unauthorised taking of a vehicle, burglary of the shed, criminal damage and possession of stolen property.
In court
The court heard that Curtin did not know the expensive cargo was on board and has 190 previous convictions.
Sentence
  • Judge Daly jailed Curtin for four years with the final 12 months suspended, backdated to 20 July 2024, with the two four-year sentences to run concurrently.
  • Curtin was disqualified from driving for 10 years.
27 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatCurtin robbed a delivery van containing over €1 million worth of pharmaceutical products. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatCurtin drove the van the wrong way down a one-way street and left it at a nearby housing estate. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatCurtin broke into a shed and a car at a residential property, taking a high visibility jacket and a cap. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatCurtin pleaded guilty to unauthorised taking of a vehicle, burglary, criminal damage and possession of stolen property. (limerickleader.ie)
  • whatThe van contained pharmaceutical products worth over €1m. (limerickleader.ie)
  • whereThe driver had parked the van in St John's Square to make a delivery. (limerickleader.ie)
  • whenThe van theft took place on July 20, 2024. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe van was stolen on the morning of 20 July 2024. (limerickleader.ie)
  • causeThe van driver left the keys in the ignition during the theft. (thejournal.ie)
  • causeThe driver left the keys in the ignition. (limerickleader.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found Curtin hiding in a ditch at the house a short time later. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationGardaí quickly located the van, which contained a built-in satellite tracker. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationA tracker in the van allowed gardaí to locate it 56 minutes later in Marian Avenue in Janesboro. (limerickleader.ie)
  • investigationCurtin was arrested by gardaí a short time later. (limerickleader.ie)
  • chargeCurtin pleaded guilty to theft of the van, burglary of the shed, possession of stolen property, and criminal damage. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe court heard that Curtin did not know the expensive cargo was on board. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtCurtin has 190 previous convictions. (limerickleader.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Daly jailed Curtin for four years with the final year suspended. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe two four-year sentences run concurrently and are backdated to July 20. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe final 12 months of the sentence are suspended if Curtin keeps the peace and engages with probation services, or one year after his sentence ends. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceFour-year jail sentences were imposed for the unauthorised taking of the van and the burglary, to be served concurrently. (limerickleader.ie)
  • sentenceThe final 12 months of the sentence were suspended, backdated to July 2024. (limerickleader.ie)
  • sentenceCurtin was disqualified from driving for 10 years. (limerickleader.ie)
  • otherThe possession of stolen goods and criminal damage offences were taken into consideration. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherCurtin gave gardaí a false name when arrested. (limerickleader.ie)
  • otherThe judge said the theft appeared to be opportunistic. (limerickleader.ie)
  • otherCurtin was in the throes of a heroin addiction at the time of the offence. (limerickleader.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 23 Jan2025
    Sentencedlimerickleader.ie, first report
    Limerick criminal stole van not knowing it contained €1m worth of drugs

    Reports the sentencing hearing, including the guilty pleas, the court's account of the theft and recovery, the defendant's previous convictions, the mitigation and the sentence.

    convicted, Jason Curtin, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Curtinvictim
  2. 22 Jan2025
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, follow-up
    Man who stole pharmacy delivery van containing €1 million worth of products jailed

    Reports the sentencing of Jason Curtin at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, including his plea, the judge's sentence, and mitigation based on his brother's death; adds the court detail that he did not know the cargo was on board.

    convicted, Jason Curtin, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Curtinvictim, male