Anonymous note leads police to car thief

A Zabbar man was jailed for three years for stealing from eight cars after a magistrate heard how an anonymous witness to one of the break-ins left a note on a car with the thief's car registration number on it.

Horace Zammit, 33, was found guilty of breaking into the cars in St Julians on the night of June 5, 2004, and trying to steal a vehicle.

He was also found guilty of assaulting, threatening and slightly injuring a police sergeant and a constable the following morning in Zabbar and the possession of cannabis in 1997.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani heard how between June 5 and 6, 2004, the police received several reports that cars had been broken into in St Julians and several items - including car stereos, mobile phones and cash - had been stolen.

Alexander Caruana told the police that as he was walking to his car with two friends he noticed a man inside it fiddling with his the car stereo's wires. The man, who had a dark complexion and long hair, managed to escape.

In another report filed to the police, Rudy Vella explained how he had returned to his car to find that it had been broken into. On the windscreen he found a note that read: "Person who stole your stereo drives a dark Mini Minor registration GAH 035".

Investigations resulted that the Mini was used by Mr Zammit who lived in Zabbar. Armed with a search warrant, the police carried out a search at Mr Zammit's house and car despite his resistance.

In his room they found a black hood, car stereos, CDs, wallets and sun glasses, among other things.

On evaluating the circumstances of the case, the magistrate jailed Mr Zammit for three years and recommended that he continue his drug rehabilitation programme while serving time.

Police Inspector Mario Tonna prosecuted.