Thief jailed for five years over string of aggravated thefts

A homeless man has been jailed for five years after he pleaded guilty to 10 thefts, claiming that he stole to feed himself.

Abdulahi Jimale Hassan, 32, from Somalia, who has no fixed residence in Malta was arraigned before Magistrate Rachel Montebello this afternoon, accused of the thefts - mostly aggravated by value, from cars and shops in the Marsa and Hamrun areas - as well as breaching police bail, disobeying police orders and obstructing justice.

Inspector Wayne Camilleri explained to the court how the investigation had noticed a pattern to the thefts, which were all opportunistic. A number of his crimes had been detected on CCTV and in fact the man was arraigned in court, wearing the same clothes as in the latest piece of footage.

Hassan pleaded guilty to the charges, the court being told that he stole to feed himself. The court gave him time to reconsider his admission, but the man later reiterated his guilty plea.

Police inspector Matthew Galea insisted on an effective prison sentence for the man.

Hassan was jailed for five years, the court explaining to the man that it was punishing him with a sentence close to the minimum.

Police appealed to the public not to leave their valuables unattended in public places.