Thief: Emeline Marie Essertel (Pic from South Wales Police)
A French au pair on the run from British police robbed a County Donegal family earlier this year and is wanted by Gardai in Milford, it has emerged.
Emeline Essertel is wanted by detectives in South Wales after failing to appear in court in March to face charges of fraud, stealing a debit card and possessing CS gas.
The French national has now reportedly said “all the mistakes” were due to addiction to drugs and that is why she left England in January to get treatment.
“My best reason to leave England is because I need to go (to) rehab,” she told Wales Online via Facebook.
However she didn’t go to rehab – she landed a job as a nanny to Ramelton couple Michael and Niamh Vambeck and their children….and stole money from their piggy banks.
She was later quizzed by Gardai in Milford about the thefts and admitted stealing the money as well as credit cards from family friends.
However she later disappeared and Gardai were unable to bring her before the courts.
“She is still wanted for questioning here,” said one source.
“We thought she had returned to France.”
Miss Essertel, who is 24, became well-known in the Letterkenny area earlier this year and is believed to have left Donegal in April.
Newspaper reports say she then taunted Welsh police by uploading pictures to her Facebook page from various places around Europe – including at a rugby match at the Aviva stadium in Dublin.
Robbed by their nanny: Michael and Niamh
Michael Vambeck and his wife Niamh are well-known in Letterkenny.
Michael runs a wholesale hair and beauty business on the Port Road whilst Niamh is a teacher at St Eunan’s College.
They called in Gardai after the thefts.