Youth jailed for stealing €4,000 in staged hold-up

A 20-year-old youth was today jailed for two and a half years and fined €2,300 after admitting to stealing €4,000 in a staged hold-up at a gaming establishment in Zabbar.

Dave Delia, 20, of Copsicua, also pleaded guilty to being in possession of an imitation pistol, of driving without being covered by insurance, of breaching a probation order, and of relapsing.

The theft occurred on New Year’s Eve at the FairPlay establishment in Triq is-Santwarju, Zabbar. Sources said that at around 9:30pm, the accused – who was later discovered to be working in cahoots with a shop employee – entered at the establishment, brandishing a toy gun and demanding money.

Almost €4,000 was stolen in the hold-up.

Sources said that upon further investigations, police discovered that Delia was working with Jean Paul Vella, a FairPlay gaming attendant who also happens to be dating Delia’s sister.

During the hold-up, a woman who happened to be playing at the establishment was caught in the midst of the theft and was held against her will by the accused and Vella.

Standing before Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, Delia, who described his job as “doing nothing”, admitted to the theft. Taking the accused’s early guilty plea and his criminal record, the Magistrate jailed him for two-and-a-half years, and fined him €2,300.

Meanwhile, Delia's partner in crime, Jean Paul Vella, 26, of Zabbar, also admitted to his part in the robbery. However, Vella had his clean criminal record to thank as unlike his partner in crime, he was handed a two-year jail term suspended for four years. Moreover, the court also noted that the money stolen was returned, and that he cooperated with the police.

Police Inspectors Fabian Fleri and Josric Mifsud prosecuted, while Lawyer Alessandro Lia appeared as legal aid for Delia.