A 36-year-old unemployed man from Zejtun was this afternoon remanded in custody after he pleaded not guilty to 40 charges including 13 incidents of theft and muggings on elderly people.

All incidents took place between last Tuesday and Friday.

Charles Farrugia was charged with using a stolen car with stolen number plates to drive close to his victims and snatch their belonging.

The thefts were conducted in Luqa, Paola, Tarxien, Sta Lucija, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Mqabba and Zurrieq.

Mr Farrugia was identified by the Criminal Investigation Department following crime mapping exercises and undercover surveillance and was eventually caught red-handed in the act of setting fire to a car he stole to commit the robberies.

The man was also accused of breaching four separate sets of bail conditions and violently resisting arrest.

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