Charged with theft of racing pigeons

A teenager "with a habit of stealing" admitted to police that he was responsible for a string of thefts which included 60 racing pigeons worth over €2,500, a court heard.

Thirty of the pigeons, worth €931, allegedly went missing from a block of flats in Kalkara on January 23 followed by a second group of 30 worth €1,600 which disappeared from another block in Cospicua four days later.

The boy, 17, who cannot be named because of his age, denied the charges and was remanded in custody.

He was described by Police Inspector Jesmond Borg as someone without a drug problem but with a habit of stealing things.

He was also allegedly caught red handed stealing tools and other items from a block of flats in Kalkara on Sunday, which is how the police managed to secure his arrest based on a witness's testimony.

The teenager had been given two years probation in 2006 when he was convicted of theft and holding someone against his will. He has also breached the conditions of a previous release.

The prosecuting officer asked the court to deny bail saying that the boy's parents had threatened some of the witnesses so the risk of tampering with evidence was very real.

Legal aid lawyer Anthony Cutajar requested bail on the grounds that the pigeons had been returned and the accused was still young.

Magistrate Edwina Grima denied bail.