Thief jailed after being caught red-handed

Josef Buttigieg, 34, of Birkirakara was today sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to burgling a house in Mellieha, while his partner-in-crime, 43-year-old Francis Formosa, was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to the charges.

Buttigieg, and Formosa, hailing from Birkirkara and nicknamed ‘il-Patatti’, were yesterday arrested by the police shortly after robbing a house in Mellieha belonging to a 69-year-old widow.

One of the thieves was arrested in Triq L. Newton but the second tried to escape, only to be caught later. Police found jewellery and other valuables among the stolen goods.

Other objects, such as a large screwdriver was also found in a field allegedly after one of the robbers threw them away when he saw the police.

Formosa pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody after the court ruled that he is not trustworthy.

Buttigieg, who is known as ‘il-Qasba’, admitted to committing the theft, of accepting stolen goods, and of breaching bail conditions imposed by a previous court in four separate cases.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli handed the accused a two-year imprisonment term and ordered that the court seize €4,000 of Buttigieg’s personal guarantee.

The two were arrested yesterday after police sources were called in due to two “suspicious-looking men”  in Triq il-Qortin. Two units from the RIU arrived just a few minutes later and apprehended the men who were carrying a bag full of stolen goods.

Inspectors Maurice Curmi and Arthur Mercieca prosecuted.