Sham telephone company employees accused of trying to rob elderly man

Three men have been remanded in custody after allegedly posing as representatives from a telephone company to rob an elderly man at his home in Mosta last month.

Before magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace this afternoon, Police Inspectors Fabian Fleri and Lydon Zammit charged Gaetano (Tano) Farrugia, Roderick Zahra and Braden Grixti with attempted aggravated theft, illegal arrest and causing slight injury in connection with the robbery in Mosta on 22 May.

The 66-year-old victim was slightly injured in the 22 May attempted robbery, in which the men had pretended to be representatives from a local telecommunications company in order to be allowed inside the man’s home. The accused then allegedly tied the man up and ransacked his house, finding nothing of value and leaving empty-handed.

Farrugia, 41, is an engineering company employee from Pieta. 32-year-old Zahra, a security guard, and 26-year-old Grixti, who is unemployed are both from Valletta.

The trio pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Their lawyers, Mario Mifsud, Franco Debono, Joseph Gatt and Manuel Mallia told the court that the men had cooperated with the police investigation and requested bail for each of the three accused.

But inspector Zammit replied that he objected to bail for all three. The case was a very serious one, in which an elderly man was attacked, injured and robbed, he said, before adding that the victim and other witnesses who know the accused well are yet to testify.

The court denied bail to the men.