Phone top-up voucher gave lotto booth robber away - inspector

Police tracked down a man they suspected of involvement in a hold-up at a Naxxar lotto booth by matching the serial numbers of stolen e-talk cards to the cards the man used to top up his mobile phone account, a court heard yesterday.

"I got authorisation from court and asked Vodafone to provide me with a list of the serial numbers on the e-talk cards sold to lotto booth number 176 in Naxxar, which they did.

"They also provided information about whether they had been activated and under what mobile number," Inspector Geoffrey Azzopardi said.

"This information revealed that three Lm5 e-talk cards had been activated on Raymond Abela's mobile phone. I knew the number because Abela had previously given it to me.

"The cards had been activated within a few minutes of each other and shortly after the hold-up."

Inspector Azzopardi testified before Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani-Grima in the compilation of evidence against Abela, 36, of Naxxar.

He is pleading not guilty to stealing more than Lm1,000 cash, cell phone top-up vouchers, lotto tickets and other items from Lotto Booth No. 176 and holding several people against their will on September 25 at about 11.35 a.m.

Abela is also pleading not guilty to the possession of a firearm at the time of the commission of the crime, keeping and carrying the firearm and ammunition without a licence, stealing Mario Galea's Toyota Corolla from Ghaxaq on September 23, handling stolen property and relapsing.

The inspector explained how he had learnt that Michael Fenech, his wife Carmen and their son Glenn, had been serving customers at the lotto booth when a white Toyota Corolla with three hooded men inside stopped in front of the booth.

The driver remained in the car while two men got out and headed towards the booth. One of the two men was carrying a shotgun and started shouting "hold-up" while the other man jumped behind the counter and asked for the money.

"Michael Fenech told me that he asked the men not to hurt anyone and immediately gave them what they wanted. The men took cash and a black bag that contained several documents and top-up vouchers.

"The two men, I was told, then got into the car and drove up the road. A couple on a motorbike noticed what was happening and followed the car. But after they followed it past a few blocks one of the men in the car pointed the shotgun at them and they stopped," he said.

The inspector also said that Edward Camilleri, an eyewitness, had seen three men get out of a Toyota Corolla and into a white Opel Corsa.

The Toyota was found a few blocks away from the lotto booth and it turned that it had been stolen two days earlier.

"Superintendent Pierre Calleja then informed me that he had received confidential information that Abela was involved in the hold-up. This information coupled with the fact that Abela has a white Opel Corsa led to my decision to arrest him.

"Abela was arrested from the Naxxar police station and taken to the police headquarters for questioning. He told me that on the day of the hold-up he had gone to register for work and then went to the billiard hall a couple of times.

"But when it came down to taking a written statement he chose not to answer, as was his right. He did, however, give me his mobile number willingly," the inspector said.

Inspector Azzopardi went on to explain that after Abela was released from police custody Carmen Fenech informed police that among the stolen goods there were two packets of 25 Lm5 e-talk cards and a packet of 5 Lm10 go mobile top-up vouchers.

Information released by Vodafone showed that three of the stolen e-talk cards had been activated into Abela's mobile. The information showed that the cards had been activated at 12.28 p.m., 12.29 p.m. and 12.31 p.m. on the day of the hold-up.

Abela was arrested and questioned a second time and again he chose not to answer.

Inspector Azzopardi added that he tried to open Abela's mobile phone to verify its number but he could not get the hang of it. Abela offered to open it and the inspector gave it to him but when Abela opened the phone he pulled out the SIM card and snapped it in two. The inspector also said that none of the eyewitnesses who saw the three men without a hood recognised Abela during a police line-up.

The case continues.

Inspector Azzopardi is prosecuting.

Dr Vincent Galea and Dr Kris Busietta are appearing for Abela.