Convicted thief remanded in custody

Car dealer Jason Scerri, 39 of Balzan was remanded in custody after insisting that although officers found him at the scene of a burglary he was not involved in the crime.

Prosecuting inspector Joseph Busuttil said he had personally gone to the scene where a burglary had been signaled. The accused was apprehended by the police on site and tools to force open locks were found in his possession. Scerri was also charged with damaging private property and relapsing.

Defence lawyer Martin Fenech asked for bail, explaining how his client had a shady past due to his drug habit.

"However he is trying to put his life in order, and trying to raise a family. While police found him on site, he was not connected to the attempted theft," the lawyer said, insisting that CCTV footage would eventually exonerate Scerri.

In January, 28-year old Christian Zahra was described as the 'Fantozzi of this case', and placed under a three-year probation order after admitting to be an accomplice in the attempted break-in at the same residence in Qawra. He had been arrested while walking towards the apartment carrying a metal bar, moments after Scerri's arrest.

The prosecution objected to the bail request since the accused's criminal record was voluminous and included previous convictions over theft.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera remanded the accused in prison.