Cleaner takes €43,000 from elderly man's account

A tearful 43-year-old woman from Birkirkara admitted today that she withdrew €43,000 from an elderly man's bank account after she gained possession of his cash card and PIN number.

Rita Mifsud admitted in court that she had befriended a resident of Casa Arkati, where she used to work as a cleaner. He had entrusted her with the key of his Post Office box. While she regularly handed him his mail, she had intercepted and kept his cash card and PIN number and between March 4 and last Saturday made 96 transactions for a total of €43,000.

In pleading guilty, the woman returned €7,820 and was ordered to return the remainder within six months.

She was condemned to a two year jail term suspended for four years.