Cigarette machine thief gets fingers burnt

A 20-year-old was yesterday jailed for two years after admitting to stealing a cigarette machine on November 18, 2009.

During the compilation of evidence, British tourist Deborah Elliot had testified that from her hotel room balcony in Valletta she had spotted two men pushing a cigarette machine down some steps at about 10.30 p.m. The two men left, only to return a few minutes later and continued pushing the machine onto the road until they disappeared under Victoria Gate.

It later resulted the men had broken into Café De Baron in Battery Street from where they took the machine.

The police made three arrests and charged Curtis Bakoush, 20, Annise Bejaoui, 20, and Malcolm Mercieca, 24, all of Valletta,with the theft.

Mr Bejaoui admitted to his involvement and the case against the other two continues.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said that after considering the circumstances of the case and the fact that Mr Bejaoui had already been given several chances to reform and that, although still aged 20 he had already been given a three-year probation term and failed to take heed of the advice he was given, she felt a jail term would be in order.