Clothes thieves jailed
Four Romanian thieves who were caught red-handed and trapped in a Sliema shop by the owner were jailed for three years for stealing thousands of euros worth of clothing.
Ilie Nicolae, 28, Niculae Dragos, 22, Dumitru Marius, 26, and Christian Panaitescu, 25, pleaded guilty to 14 counts of theft from a string of shops in Sliema and St Julians, The Point shopping centre and Bay Street shopping complex over the past month.
When they appeared before Magistrate Edwina Grima yesterday, the four men hung their heads down and murmured their particulars and their guilty pleas to the interpreter. One of them burst into tears and started sobbing.
Marian Panaitescu, 26, of Romania, pleaded guilty to handling stolen items and was given a three-year conditional discharge.
A sixth Romanian – 27-year-old Niculae Florica – denied all charges of theft brought against him and was remanded in preventive custody.
Six men were arrested on Friday evening after the owner of Diesel and Levi’s, Leonard Cassar, recognised them from closed circuit camera footage taken when intruders stole about €1,000 worth of clothing two weeks ago.
When the police searched the Paceville and Msida apartments the suspects shared, they found clothes, gadgets and jewellery worth thousands of euros.
Police Inspector Saviour Baldacchino prosecuted.
Lawyer Yana Micallef Stafrace appeared for the accused as legal aid.
6 Comments
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DannyBoy BartoloJr.
Feb 27th 2012, 12:44
This would send a clear message to these criminals mostly Gibbos from Roma/romanian, gypsies.However i and many other good abiding Maltese citizens are not prepared to waste our tax money on these morons., so send the bagger back to that hole they crawled out from - Pronto.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 27th 2012, 12:34
If these Romanians cannot support themselves except by stealing, is that not a good reason to send them home? The Police, in their charges, should ask for these Romanians to be deported. Furthermore, are not Romanians supposed to have a special permit to be able to work in Malta? Are the Police enforcing this requirement? Why are they letting into Malta all these Romanians without checking on them - if they have over-stayed, whether they are working here illegally, etc? These Romanians are costing us taxpayers a pretty sum and the police need to nip this problem in the bud.
Jay Oatmon
Feb 27th 2012, 12:17
to Pavlaki Pano Aroditis
This is an excellent sensible initiative by the Cyprus government, unfortunately the Malta government does not lead in anything, it prefers to wait and so it is always reacting to events instead of taking charge early.
anthony smith
Feb 27th 2012, 11:55
this is the tip of the iceberg the all they will do is come back under a different name or quote euro regulations on freedom of movment the easy thing would be to stop all romanians comming in inless on legitmate buisness,they have managed to come to the uk get a house and all the benefits known to man plus send there kids out picking pockets these people have to be stopped the sooner the better
Tom Broadley
Feb 27th 2012, 10:42
I just hope that Malta will put them on the first plane home after they have done their time.
Pavlaki Pano Aroditis
Feb 27th 2012, 11:34
That's what is being explored in Cyprus, another EU country, but perhaps before they serve their time, and after the conviction:
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/crime/deportation-non-cypriots-those-who-break-law/20120223
Please choose the reason of your report below: