‘Expert pickpocket’ jailed for eight months

A woman described as an “expert pickpocket” broke down in tears in court on Monday, as she was jailed for stealing a total of €1,310 in cash from different people.

Inspector Jeffrey Scicluna arraigned 33-year-old Ginka Sandeva from Bulgaria before magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit, accusing her of the theft, aggravated by value, of a wallet and two envelopes containing cash, from three different people.

The court heard how the thefts took place in Valletta, between the 31 July and 2 August.

The woman cut a pitiful figure in the dock, in tears for much of the sitting, but sources said the woman is an “expert pickpocket” who stole from people for a living.

Her lawyer, Shaheryar Ghaznavi said that she worked as a waitress, but was currently unemployed.

Asked how she would be pleading, the woman said she was pleading guilty.

The court warned her that she faced prison if she persisted with her guilty plea, but Sandeva insisted that she was guilty.

The court, having taken into account the fact that the stolen money had all been returned, jailed her for eight months.