Man stole gas cylinders to fuel drug addiction

A drug addict who stole gas cylinders to sustain his heroin habit will have the opportunity to make good on the €700 bill he racked up after the prosecuting officer told a magistrate he should be given the chance to pay up.

Roderick Zahra, 27, from Għaxaq, stole 23 cylinders between September 17 and October 18 from outside houses shortly after they had been delivered.

He would then sell them and use the money to fuel his heroin addiction, Police Inspector Anthony Portelli told the court.

He said the accused should be given the chance to repay the damage he had caused and agreed with defence counsel Joe Giglio that a pre-sentencing report should be drawn up. The cylinders are worth €734.

Dr Giglio told Magistrate Edwina Grima that his client was admitting to the charges and asked for bail until judgment was handed down.

Mr Zahra was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €2,000.