An alert off-duty policeman caught two men red-handed trying to steal from a house in Birkirkara in the second of two almost identical incidents that happened over the weekend.

Partners in crime Dennis Por-telli, 35, and Ian Farrugia, 36, yesterday pleaded guilty in court to trying to steal items from the house and damaging the property on Sunday at around 1 p.m.

PS David Portelli was driving by when he noticed the men trying get into the house and called for assistance.

The two were caught shortly afterwards inside the house.

Magistrate Antonio Vella hand-ed down a two-year jail term suspended for four years and fined them €350 each.

On Saturday, another off-duty policeman, PC Emanuel Mamo, had seen Justin Polidano, 23, and his father Joseph Polidano, 52, acting suspiciously near a house in Żurrieq at around 9 p.m. and called for back-up. They were arrested allegedly coming out of the house with a bag containing household items.

Father and son are in custody after pleading not guilty to burglary on Monday.

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