Three daring hold-ups reported last night
Three daring hold-ups were reported to the police last night, two in Swieqi and another in St Paul's Bay.
The first was reported at 3 a.m. when three women, aged 16, 37 and 38 reported that a hooded person armed with a firearm had stolen a handbag after stopping them as they walked at Triq is-Swieqi, Swieqi.
The three women put up a struggle, despite the man being armed, but the thief managed to drive away with one of their handbags.
As policemen were taking down particulars of the case, a Briton aged 24 years reported that he had also been attacked by a hooded armed man in the same street.
The man said he heard a car brake. A man came out, pointed a pistol at him, stole his wallet and mobile phone and drove off.
The other incident was reported to have taken place at 3.15 a.m. at Triq il-Boxla, t Paul's Bay, where a 19-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man were attacked while they were in their own parked car.
The couple reported that a car with its lights off drove up behind them, an armed person emerged, came up to them and ordered them to get out of their car and hand over their money. The man then drove off in his car.
In all cases the victims suffered shock but were uninjured.
Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera is holding inquiries.
Police investigations are continuing.
16 Comments
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john pace
Feb 3rd 2009, 05:35
i bellive that we will have more crime this year when there is less money flow in hands so there will be more crime and who we blame this on the goverment food prices eletric fuel loans no jobs so more crime they take care only them selves whit new cars and new houses and we only look at them like dogs
Vincent Borg
Feb 2nd 2009, 22:47
I join R Enderby, in hoping that these crimes are solved quickly and the offenders receive the long prison sentences they deserve, lest law and order, as we know them, degenerate.
Before this issue itself degenerates into knee-jerk reactions by banning this or that, or by blaming anything under the sun (except the criminal behaviour himself), I bid you all to ask any school teacher his views about the the level of basic humanity generally displayed by young children these days.
You might be in for a nasty surprise to know that vast hordes of primary school children show abyssimal qualities of respect and discipline.
And please before we start blaming the education system and teachers: These little horned angels turn up at school, already well versed in general thuggery.
So warped are their tiny, spoilt minds that, should they be corrected at school, the parents turn up the day after to vent their "indignation" at the educator.
The sadder fact is that the very social climate of the last 40 odd years or so ( responsible for todays inarticulate thugs), breeds the Apologist Liberal of today: Ever ready to blame anything but the responsible individual.
Alan Xuereb
Feb 2nd 2009, 16:44
IS it possible that with all surveillance cameras there was no one of them to record anything? Is there the need for more patrol from the police? or more "sleeping police" to slow (ruin) the cars? And as I'm thinking, if the thieves are making a good buck others will follow.
Clive Brockdorff
Feb 2nd 2009, 15:08
@ J Oatman
No bona fide gun owner in his right mind would loan anybody a gun - under any circumstances. Apart from the fact that gun owners are not criminals and take their responsibilities very seriously (and to infer otherwise is most unethical), they would obviously become liable to prosecution if it ever transpired that they did such a foolish act.
As to "lax law enforcement on gun ownership and use", facts prove otherwise in that our legislation is top notch and the police force is doing sterling work in cooperating with the local sports shooting community to ensure that guns do not fall into the wrong hands.
I agree with the other posters that gun control has got nothing to do with the issue at hand. The solution is to be found in stiffer sentences for all those who commit crimes, with especially exemplary sentences for crimes involving the merest threat of violence.
a darmanin
Feb 2nd 2009, 00:22
@J Oatmon
Who will take the risk of borrowing a gun to a friend to commit a crime? Don't tell me that the gun owner will not know for what reason he gave the gun to his friend!!!!
Trid tkun altru mignun biex issellef arma lil habib li ma tafx x'ser jaghmel biha, jew izjed min hekk tkun taf li se jwettaq xi qtil.
lgalea
Feb 1st 2009, 22:26
J Oatmon
Would you loan him your gun?
No Oatmon, criminals can get hold of guns on the black market.
Guns used in crimes are not registered.
James Green
Feb 1st 2009, 20:39
@N. Grima
The problem when these sad incidents happen is that uninformed people start clamouring for bans and restrictions.
What they fail to realise is that restricting/banning gun ownership has a reverse effect on violent crime. A few statistics regarding the UK and for our American friends, Washington DC confirm what I am saying. Washington DC hardly ever had any cowboys yet its total ban on firearms ownership has made it the crime (besides political) capital of the USA.
A.Saliba
Feb 1st 2009, 19:54
Judge the court, the penalties here in Malta are a FARCE...Where's the police?
Darby Allen
Feb 1st 2009, 18:34
I don't see anything remotely DARING about crimes in which armed cowards attack people whom they know are not armed; nor, indeed, allowed to carry anything with which to defend themselves!
N.Grima
Feb 1st 2009, 18:30
@ J Farrugia... Considering how the Rome incidents all end up, things could have gone much much worse. From experience, I can say that it will take a couple of months but they'll get over it no problem.
@ James Green... Am myself against the American gun for all policy and hunting, but I cannot but agree with you; the solution to these crimes has nothing to do with gun control.
J Farrugia
Feb 1st 2009, 16:32
I'm not the least disturbed by these events. Our thugs are seeing the Italian TV and they are doing the same here. There even may be foreigners doing this type of holdups. VIGILANCE is the name of the new game. Let's all be vigilant and try to prevent these attacks.
Ryan Bugeja
Feb 1st 2009, 14:28
...and the cowboy scenes continue...
soon our island will be full of ranches, horses, rodeo and Red Indians shooting their arrows...
VICTORVELLA
Feb 1st 2009, 13:07
Believe me the gun could have been a toy, faced with a hooded men wielding somthing which even remotely looks like a gun would stupify anyone.
What we need is more police patrols.AND HARSHER PENALTIES , DO THE COURTS OF LAW KNOW WHAT ZERO TOLLERANCE IS?
James Green
Feb 1st 2009, 13:03
@ J Oatmon
Gun crime has always existed and will always exist irrespective of availability or prohibition of guns. Criminals wil NEVER source their hardware from the legitimate market.
Under the new law ALL guns MUST be stored in a safe or a gun cabinet.
Now please elucidate us as to how criminals can 'borrow' guns.
And why should sane legitimate gun owners 'lend' their guns to criminals to commit a violent act which could lead to injury or even death, perish the thought..
Now if the Police hopefully nab the perpetrator/s and if found guilty, is/are given a long stint at the CCF rather than a suspended sentence, then we'll have taken out of circulation (a) potential murderer/s, and set an example to others who may be tempted to trod down the same path.
We need stronger laws against VIOLENT ARMED CRIME not against guns.
This is what benefits society and not gun restrictions/bans.
R Enderby
Feb 1st 2009, 12:44
Very disturbing to read about this happening in Malta! I hope it is stamped on hard,with long prison sentences when the offender is caught,otherwise it will soon degenerate as it has in the UK, where punishment is laughable, and criminals know it.
J Oatmon
Feb 1st 2009, 11:32
Gun crime seems to be increasing in Malta - the result of lax law enforcement on gun ownership and use.
I suspect that any criminal can 'borrow' a gun from friend, commit the hold up, and then return the gun later.