Scrap metal thieves remanded in custody

Two men have been remanded in custody following their arraignment in court after being arrested in the act of stealing scrap metal, diesel and batteries from a Birzebbugia garage.

Inspectors Johann Fenech and Melvyn Camilleri charged 44-year-old Keith-Joseph Mallia, from Ghaxaq, and 42-year-old Vincent Sammut, from Tarxien, with the thefts, which were aggravated by value of the objects stolen and the means used, and with handling stolen goods.

The police had investigated a report by a Birzebbugia resident who had seen Mallia loading items in Sammut’s Opel Astra near the Liquigas factory. Stashed in the Opel, the police had found stolen batteries, fuel and copper worth approximately €800 in total.

The court was also told that Mallia had also been in breach of his bail conditions for a previous, similar conviction.

Lawyer Giannella de Marco, appearing for Sammut, acknowledged that her client’s criminal record was not a spotless one, but pointed out that his previous convictions had taken place a long time ago and was related to drugs, not theft.

“Just because there are witnesses it does not mean that he will approach them. We are talking about less than €1,000,” she said.

Camilleri’s lawyer Veronique Dalli added that the charges, which Camilleri was denying, were “not alarming” and reminded the court that the witnesses had already given statements to the police, and so could not be influenced. The prosecution, however, countered that one witness knows the men personally and had caught them in the act.

The court ordered the two men be remanded in custody, pending trial.