A man was today denied bail after being accused of returning twice in the space of a month to a house in Hamrun with the intention to commit theft.

Police Inspector Sarah Magri told Magistrate Francesco Depasquale that the first time Abuo Diallo, 37, from Guinea, tried committing a theft from the house was on August 22. He did not manage to gain access that day but the owners had found marks denoting someone had tried to get in.

They passed on CCTV footage to the police who never managed to identify the perpetrator.

On Tuesday, she received reports that passers-by had held a man they caught trying to get into the residence. During interrogations, the footage proved useful as she had identified the man.

Magistrate Francesco Depasquale denied a request for bail and the accused was remanded in custody.