Industrious thief jailed for four years, loses €25,000 in bail bonds

An incorrigible thief has been jailed four years and had €25,000 worth of court guarantees confiscated, after he pleaded guilty to no less than 12 robberies.

Amadeo Grima, 36,  appeared before Magistrate Doreen Clarke this afternoon. He pleaded guilty to the string of thefts and to relapsing.

Grima is understood to be well known by law enforcement and was arrested after a surveillance operation spanning several months.

His crimes, many of which took place in the Birzebbuga area, had taken place between June last year and April. Grima would usually break into parked cars, stealing valuables and electronics, but had also stolen cash from break-ins at a pharmacy, a pet shop and a haberdashery.

Grima, who has a drug addiction problem, was sentenced to four years imprisonment. The court ordered that his numerous personal guarnatees and bail deposits, amounting to some €25,000, be confiscated.

Police inspectors Kurt Zahra and Johann Joseph Fenech prosecuted. Lawyer Patrick Valentino was legal aid.