A man was jailed four years after he was found guilty of stealing €95,000 worth of antique firearms from the Customs General Examination warehouse in Marsa in 2008.

Magistrate Carol Peralta noted that Mark Rizzo, 48, of Żabbar, had changed his lawyer many times throughout the proceedings and did not submit any evidence or making any final submissions.

In 2009, Christopher Shepherd, 43, had admitted to carrying out the theft. Mr Rizzo and Mr Shepherd were arraigned and Mr Shepherd was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Police Insepctor Keith Arnaud had told the court that five guns had been traced to a Simon Spiteri who said they had been given to him by Mr Rizzo.

Mr Spiteri had received the guns as payment for money he was owed by Mr Rizzo.

Mr Rizzo had told the police he was only involved after the guns were stolen and that he helped Mr Shepherd get them out of the warehouse. He said he was to receive five of the guns as payment and he used them to pay a debt he had with Mr Spiteri.

Another man, Bruno Farrugia, told the court that Mr Shepherd had complained to him that Mr Rizzo had “betrayed him” by taking all the stolen guns for himself instead of splitting the loot.

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