Magistrate raps couple over theft

Two Italians were conditionally discharged and rapped by Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani today after they admitted stealing a pouch containing €28 at Malta International Airport.

The accused were Carlo Boschi, 55, and 57-year-old teacher Rita Rizzi, both of Rome.

Inspector Jason Agius told the court that the incident happened yesterday week as the couple were going through the X-ray procedure at the airport. They had been filmed on closed circuit television taking the pouch.

When airport officials confronted Mr Boschi, he initially denied taking anything, but when he was warned that the police would be called in, he took them to the restroom and showed them where he had thrown away the pouch after taking €28 which were inside.

Magistrate Padovani told the couple that their crime could have landed them in jail and criminal records were easily accessible throughout the EU, and they had therefore been playing with their livelihood.

Had the two been 16-year-olds she could have tried to understand their actions, but these were mature people who were meant to set an example to younger people.

She conditionally discharged them for six months.

Comments

susan galea (on 7/9/08)

Time to go to bed really, but the notion that because the amount of money these people stole was small doesn't, surely, mean that they are not guilty of theft and should not be dealt with accordingly? They were not aware- and here I attribute intelligence perhaps not deserved to them- of the amount they had procured deceitfully. It might be peanuts to Mr Schembri, but that is because he can't see beyond the material, I venture. Mr Schembri completely misses the point. It is not the amount of the ill-gotten gains; it is the desire for and act to acquire them that is significant.

Joseph Schembri (on 7/9/08)

It seems that the courts are there for small fry. The police should have made the couple give back the money there and then and that would have been the end of it. What a waste of time, money and human resources for 28 euros!

Phil Press (on 5/9/08)

So is is alright, to be a Mature Italian thief. I would have thought they would have known better. So should the Magistrate, at least could have been imposed, some kind of fine, to pay for the waste of police, courts and no doubt a free solicitor