Four jailed for theft

Three men and a woman, aged between 21 and 41, were yesterday jailed for theft in four separate cases heard by the same magistrate. In the first case, 24-year-old Terence Vella, of Msida, was jailed for four years.

Mr Vella pleaded guilty to breaking into a woman's car and stealing a car stereo, committing the crime during the operative time of a two-year suspended jail term and relapsing.

Magistrate Saviour Demicoli jailed him for two years and ordered that the suspended jail term be put into effect - bringing the jail term to four years.

Alberta Amato, 21, of Gzira was jailed for a year and two months after she admitted to stealing from a Marsaxlokk stationery and a Bank of Valletta branch in Birkirkara. She also pleaded guilty to complicity in another two counts of theft and to relapsing between June and August 2005.

In another case, Brian Muscat, 41, of Cospicua was jailed for a year and three months for stealing cash and other items from a woman's house in Cospicua, causing damage at the house and relapsing on January 12.

Jesmond Bugeja, 40, of Rabat was jailed for 18 months when he admitted to two counts of theft, which included stealing cash and mobile phones, last month.

Magistrate Demicoli considered the fact that the four individuals had filed an early guilty plea and had cooperated with the police. He also noted that their criminal record left much to be desired. In the case of Mr Vella and Mr Bugeja, the magistrate recommended that the two attend a drug rehabilitation programme while serving time.