Updated | 45-year-old arrested over armed robberies

Updated at 9:00 am with police statement on arrest

Police have arrested a 45-year-old man in connection with two separate armed robberies, one of which ended in failure that happened to take place within 90 minutes of each other.

The first took place at around 11:45am in Triq San Bartholomew in Qormi.

Police said a man wearing a hoodie and a mask, and who was carrying a firearm, entered an office in Qormi and demanded money from a 54-year-old worker who lives in Msida. The thief fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.

The second incident occurred at around 1pm in Triq R. Caruana Dingli, San Gwann.

In the second incident the man, who was also carrying a firearm, entered a shop and demanded money from the cashier, a 42-year-old woman from San Gwann. The woman started shouting for help and the accused fled the scene without stealing any cash.

In an update on Tuesday evening, the police said the man was arrested at around 5:00 pm, after the car used in the robberies was identified through investigations.

Police also found the clothes used during during the thefts inside the vehicle.

Duty magistrate Joseph Mifsud is conducting an inquiry.