Burglars come knocking - woman robbed of €11,000

G. Attard

Apr 16th 2009, 21:00

Close all gaming halls now before it's too late!

Brian Smith

Apr 16th 2009, 18:18

It is pretty obvious that the robbers knew the money was in the house, so it should be easy to find them

Kathy Elliot

Apr 16th 2009, 16:27

How shocked she must have been! And if she had not had the money available, then what? Hauling jewellery and TV out the door? Rape? I sure am glad that I'm paranoid and always use my peephole now. I hope these ... people, for want of a better word, are caught. More than ever, I'm worried about my g'ma and other old ladies who have the habit of leaving their door open leading to the anti-porte. What has Malta come to?

Mark Galea

Apr 16th 2009, 13:41

There is only one way to reduce thefts ... avoid having money available ... else there will ALWAYS be thefts if there is anything to be stolen. Even if we introduce the death penalty (ps I do not agree in any way on death penalty), thefts will remain.

GiovDeMartino

Apr 16th 2009, 11:23

Will those advocating the use of cameras tell me WHERE sre these cameras to be installed? And how many cameras? And if the would be cxriminalm decides to hide his face? Yes courts are very lenient. But not only in Malta but all ver the world. We are talking too much of human rights these days.

R.Gauci

Apr 15th 2009, 11:37

The only way to reduce crime is that our Law Courts should give tougher sentences and not the usual suspended sentences etc...!! Have you ever asked from where these criminals will find the money which amount in thousands in most of the cases to pay their bails?
Answer: Making another crime!!
About the use of cameras to reduce crime I agree, but again what the culprits will be sentenced?

Steve Muscat Azzopardi

Apr 14th 2009, 22:51

CCTV cameras are a real solution. Here in Luxembourg they proved invaluable in the arrest and swift prosecution of drug dealers and muggers. With picture evidence of the crime, there is barely the need for a court case. So I also join those claiming more serious sentences from our all-too-lenient courts.

anthea preston

Apr 14th 2009, 22:29

I was shocked and saddened to read about this happening. My sympathies with the victim who is of a similar age to me. I used to think of Malta as such a safe place, one where the families could allow their children to play outside, the older folk sitting on the steps and sitting outside, playing cards, chatting, knitting, generally socialising. Front doors left open. A beautiful cameraderie between you all, however, it does seem to me tragically that Malta is getting like everywhere else now. It is becoming ever more apparent that you are not safe to just open your front door, leave it open, sit outside etc. This was indeed armed robbery and the culprits must be tried for exactly that crime if they are apprehended. People say, the answer is in the judicial system - alas it should be but it is not. The laws and courts are not there to protect us any more, prisons too full for a start and not all of the prisoners are indigenous! 9.40 in the morning! Brazen or what? I pray that the perpetrators are apprehended quickly and that they do indeed get a stiff sentence if found guilty.

Franco Farrugia

Apr 14th 2009, 22:04

Sorry: I don't see the funny side of this title!
And anyone has a right to keep howevermuch money he wants in his / her house! The problem lies elsewhere. We are having shootings and daring burglaries practically every day!

Joe Galea

Apr 14th 2009, 21:47

The crux of the problem is that Maltese judicial system is so lenient that no one is afraid of it. Second drug use in Malta is on the increase and this leads to further desperation for cash. There are other factors I am sure.

However, I feel safer in big cities like London where the police [presence is felt at all times of day and that almost every inch of the city is monitored by cameras. Can we have that system to? Is it asking too much?

GiovDeMartino

Apr 14th 2009, 17:55

Security cameras? Where? On every door? You should never open your door unless you know who is there. That's the solution to these sort of crimes.

Lee Micallef

Apr 14th 2009, 17:51

Not so much of a Burglary (as this is something that happens when one is asleep or is not in the home ) this is an' Armed Robbery' a much more serious offence which when the cowards are caught a much stiffer sentence must be given !! And never keep that amount of cash in the house !

Eric Camilleri

Apr 14th 2009, 16:28

For whoever is raising the guns issue, it is totally irrelevant since this sort of robbery could have taken place with whatever utensil, including clubs and knives, possibly toy gun, etc. I don't think the poor woman would have resisted if otherwise. In any case it seems the culprits planned and picked the right jackpot "door" !

J.Camilleri

Apr 14th 2009, 16:27

Where one can keep the money? In banks? For under 2%? Even so, today for just a 100 eurs.
thugs will kill you.

wally vella-zarb

Apr 14th 2009, 16:02

Quite often it is not a knock on a random door. All it takes is observation of people who make a large withdrawal from a bank. I personally know of two cases of Maltese people who were victims of this method while visiting London. They had drawn the money to pay their medical consultants at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Ronnie Gauci

Apr 14th 2009, 15:41

Forget CCTV & stuff, the biggest deterrent would be that of reforming our Courts and laws in order to assure that criminals are separated from the rest of society for good by doubling or tripling sentences. Abolish the suspended sentence first of all, make our prison a real nightmare for criminals by putting 4/5 of them in just one cell and not give each one of them their room & privacy, feed them bread, cheese and water 6 days a week and limit visits by family members to just once per month. These measures would also lower the prison budget considerably even though its population will increase.

I think we have been kind with criminals too much now and they are paying us back. What do they want more? Sentences are lenient and our prison can be easily compared to a 3 star hotel. Let's start treating and perceiving criminals as aliens or non-Maltese and not like they are part of us. They are here to harm us.

R. Sciberras

Apr 14th 2009, 14:12

I agree with Ramon Zammit that Govt should install security cameras purposely to deter/track crimes; and not simply for revenue generation. One typical case is the security camera in Attard (near Conimex) which is there to catch illegally parked drivers. Such investment should be put to a more better use. One cannot even stop for a few seconds to buy a couple of pastizzi from the shop on the corner as he is slapped with a fine.

Michelle Wood

Apr 14th 2009, 13:43

But why was she keeping so much money in her house? I wouldn't feel safe with so much cash...

Joe Vella

Apr 14th 2009, 13:37

I will not keep € 200 at my house whatever the reason. How come there are still people with all that money at home?

Joseph Calleja

Apr 14th 2009, 13:04

Could it be that these burglars knew this woman? How did they know that this woman had this kind of money in the house? Something does not ad up. Two armed robbers knock on a random door of a woman who lives alone and come out with €11,000. Helloooooooo

Ramon Casha

Apr 14th 2009, 12:46

How did they know that this woman had €11,000 in cash at her home?

J Oatmon

Apr 14th 2009, 12:38

Gun crime is rising in Malta it seems - why, well perhaps there are too many unregistered guns in the hands of criminals.
So how can we improve the gun crime situation, apart from much stiffer penalties for gun crime?

I would say a first step in reducing gun crime is for the police or armed forces, to check all registered guns against the registry. Then at least the ownership of the registered guns is known and their serial numbers, any gun without a proper serial number should be confiscated and destroyed.
There should be an amnesty to hand in 'irregular firearms' and after that no excuses are permitted.
There should also be a confidential 'hotline' where members of the public can call regarding any information on 'irregular gun ownership' without being named.
The police should then confiscate all unregistered guns, and prosecute those in possession of unregistered guns.
There should be a set penalty for keeping unregistered guns, set at a high level say 2,000 euros or 3 months jail.
If you are a genuine sportsman this is no hardship.

Ramon Zammit

Apr 14th 2009, 12:29

My goodness what is happening to this once safe country? hold-ups and all sort of crimes had become the everyday headlines. The law enforcement should start to give priority to his worrying factor as i am sure everyone agrees with me that it situation has got really out of hands now. I cant imagine of anything worse than feeling scared to live in your own country. The government should invest in a more security such as neighborhood cameras and CCTV. I had been robbed twice of belongings from my car and I am still without my possession to date. We are becoming more like the ghettos Los Angeles than the once peaceful island of Malta...please its time to start acting and taking tougher measures!!!

Matthew Galea

Apr 14th 2009, 12:25

If not being followed for a while, how would two armed men know that someone is holding a lump sum of cash at home? This country's crime rate is seeming to rise quite on a steep gradient!!!