Police insist on jail, not probation, for young thief

A police inspector yesterday objected that a teenager who confessed to 24 thefts in under two months should be put on probation, insisting jail would be more appropriate.

Kevin Chircop, 19, from Floriana stole iPads, iPods, iPhones, mobile phones, cash and jewellery from the La Vallette resort and the Alphonse Hotel in St Julians between July and this month. He also admitted to muggings and snatching handbags.

Mr Chircop was arraigned together with his friend, Cyrus Dunlop, also 19, from San Ġwann who admitted to taking part in four of the thefts.

Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona asked the young men whether they wanted to say anything and Mr Dunlop said he had made a mistake, adding he had been out of work for the past month.

Mr Chircop remained silent.

The magistrate said he was considering putting both of them on probation for three years and ordering them to do community work. However, Police Inspector Chris Pullicino objected, insisting Mr Chircop should be jailed though a probationary period seemed more ideal in the case of Mr Dunlop.

The court postponed judgment to September 5 and granted Mr Dunlop bail against a personal guarantee of €2,000 until that date. Mr Chircop was remanded in custody.

In a separate arraignment, Braden Grixti, 19, from Valletta and his 16-year-old friend, from Gżira, who cannot be named because he is a minor, pleaded guilty to buying some of the stolen items from Mr Chircop and Mr Dunlop and to handling stolen property.

The magistrate warned them this type of behaviour would land them in prison if they were not careful. Mr Grixti said he had done nothing wrong and the court pointed out that buying a stolen item was as bad as stealing it.

Mr Grixti and the minor were put on probation for three years.