Man arrested after alleged six-week crime spree

A Serbian man has been remanded in custody after he was arraigned on a string of theft-related charges this morning. 

St Paul's Bay resident Dragan Curguz, 32, was arraigned before magistrate Josette Demicoli, accused of five counts of theft or attempted theft and four counts of causing criminal damage to private property.

Inspector Godwin Scerri explained to the court how all the crimes were committed in St Paul's Bay between 5 September and 19 October.

Eyewitnesses who had seen the accused in the act of breaking into a parked Toyota, called the police who chased the man on foot. Curguz tried to hide in the first open door he found, which happened to belong to an elderly couple. He was arrested shortly afterwards, inside the house.

The accused, who is understood to have a drug problem, pleaded not guilty.

Lawyer Yanika Bugeja, appearing as defence counsel for the accused, requested bail, but this request was turned down by the court.