YouTube’s power to fight crime was manifested again yesterday when a man was accused of theft, the second person to be arraigned in less than a month after CCTV footage was uploaded on the site.

Floyd Attard, 27, of Senglea appeared in court 23 days after Anthony Abela, 50, of no fixed address, was jailed for 18 months for stealing a purse and mobile phone after he was caught on film by the security camera of a shop in Valletta. The footage was then uploaded on YouTube.

Mr Attard was allegedly caught on camera inside Born to Shop, in St Julians, taking a €1,600 laptop and inside a shop in Qormi from where he is accused of taking a laptop worth about €1,500, a digital camera and €40 in cash, defence lawyer Veronique Dalli said.

She noted that, her client did not know the victims and therefore he could not approach or speak to them. As a result, Dr Dalli said Mr Attard should be granted bail.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman was having none of it and promptly remanded him in custody.

Police Inspector Saviour Baldacchino prosecuted.

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