Bid to re-sell stolen item to victim

A thief tried to sell a car stereo back to the person he stole it from, a court heard yesterday.

Stephen Nappa, 26, of Valletta, was given a two-year jail term, suspended for four years, after pleading guilty to theft and being in possession of stolen goods.

Mr Nappa had stolen a car stereo, which he subsequently sold. The owner of the stereo got to know about the sale and asked for its return, but Mr Nappa demanded he should be given Lm35 for it. The court, presided over by Magistrate Anthony Vella, considered that the accused had already been put under a probation order.

He thus handed down a suspended jail term and issued the accused with another probation order. Mr Nappa had been charged in court alongside Omar Mallia, against whom proceedings are still pending. The two were charged following a police investigation into a string of thefts.

Police Inspector Joseph Cordina prosecuted.

Lawyers José Herrera and Veronique Dalli were defence counsel.