Driver held up in Qormi

A 62-year-old Qormi man was held up by two armed and hooded men as he was driving along St Edward Street in his hometown, early yesterday afternoon, the police said.

The police said preliminary investigations indicated that the man was forced to stop his car when a Ford Focus blocked his way. Two armed men emerged from the Ford and ran over to the elderly man, from whom they stole a sum of money.

The police did not disclose the amount stolen.

The robbers drove off in the Ford, which was later found abandoned in Marsa.

Magistrate Abigail Lofaro appointed a team of court experts to conduct an inquiry.

Police Commissioner John Rizzo said last month when asked to quantify the number of hardened criminals involved in serious hold-ups and thefts, there were no more than 50 such people. He also said that between 80 and 85 per cent of crimes in the country were drug-related.

Mr Rizzo called for severe punishment to deter crime.