Donation box thieves sentenced

An unemployed couple who had pleaded guilty to multiple charges of theft last week have today been handed an 18-month sentence suspended for three years.

26-year-old Sandra Grixti of Zurrieq and 31-year-old Christian Said of Fgura, were arrested on the 29th October after being caught in the act of stealing a collection box from a lotto booth Zebbug.

The pair had admitted responsibility for a string of thefts of donation boxes from Zebbug, Hamrun, Fgura and Birkirkara during their arraignment before Magistrate Gabriella Vella last week.

They had also admitted to stealing a handbag containing €2329 in Kalkara and stealing money from two cars in Zabbar and Qormi.

However, as Said had committed a criminal offence during the operative period of a probation order, the court also called for the seizure of his €5000 bail guarantee, ordered his re-arrest and jailed him for 2 month for breaching bail conditions

Inspectors Joseph Mercieca, Roderick Agius and Josric Mifsud prosecuted.