Although a court found a man guilty today of stealing more than €120,000 from a Group 4 Securitas Van in 1998, it failed to award the company damages on grounds that it failed to substantiate its claims.

Mr Justice Joseph R Micallef, in the First Hall of the Civil Court, delivered this judgment following a writ of summons filed by Group 4 Securitas (Malta) Ltd and two foreign insurance companies against Michael Angelo Pace, Victor Calleja and Jason Calleja.

The companies claimed that Mr Pace, an employee of Group 4, had organised a hold up of the company's van that he was driving.  Lm51,692.64 (€120,411.46) in cash and Lm161,448.84 (€376,074.63) in cheques were stolen.  The hold up took place in Marsa on December 22, 1998.

The court was requested to find respondents responsible for the theft and to order them to pay damages.

The court heard that Mr Pace had admitted to the criminal charges against him and had been given a suspended sentence by the Magistrates Court. Both Victor and Jason Calleja denied complicity and had not faced criminal charges.

In its judgment, the court found that Group 4 had proven its case against Mr Pace but had failed to prove it against the Callejas.

But the court declined to award damages on the basis that the company had not produced evidence to show that it had suffered damages or that it had reimbursed its clients.

The court, therefore, held Mr Pace responsible for the theft but did not deliver any award of damages.